Chapter 9 - The Final Trap for Serena
With Arthur in custody and the financial network dismantled, only one threat remained. Serena had gone deep underground, using forged passports and secondary safe houses scattered across Southern Europe.
However, Victor knew her fatal flaw: her absolute vanity and obsession with wealth.
Three weeks after the Zurich raid, an international press release was issued by Vance Global Holdings:
"VICTOR VANCE ANNOUNCES TOTAL LIQUIDATION OF ESTATE ASSETS—ALL PROCEEDS TO BE TRANSFERRED TO ETHAN VANCE TRUST IN MONACO."
It was a brilliant piece of bait.
In a secluded luxury villa overlooking the cliffs of Monte Carlo, Serena sat in a dark room, staring at her laptop screen. She was exhausted, living on the run, her funds rapidly diminishing.
When she saw the announcement that fifty million dollars in cash reserves were being physically deposited into the Monaco Private Reserve Vault, her greed overpowered her caution.
That night, disguised in a dark wig and high-fashion trench coat, Serena slipped into the underground garage of the Monaco bank. Using a stolen biometric keycard provided by a corrupt insider, she bypassed the secondary security doors and crept toward the VIP vault.
She swiped the card. The light turned green.
Click.
Serena pushed the heavy steel door open, her eyes hungry for the sight of safety deposit boxes filled with bearer bonds and cash.
Instead, the lights clicked on, blinding her.
Standing inside the small vault room was not stacks of money, but Victor Vance, flanked by six armed officers of the Monaco Police Department.
Serena gasped, dropping her handbag, and reached frantically into her coat for a firearm.
"Don't do it, Serena," Victor said calmly, crossing his arms. "There are twelve snipers covering every exit of this building. It ends here."
Serena looked around at the cold steel walls, the armed officers, and the man she had tried so hard to manipulate. Her silver gun slipped from her trembling fingers, echoing loudly as it hit the concrete floor.
She fell to her knees, sobbing hysterically, as the officers closed in and handcuffed her.
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As she was being led past Victor, she looked up at him, her face twisted in bitter defeat. "You ruined everything, Victor... You were supposed to be mine!"
Victor stared down at her with absolute coldness. "You never knew me, Serena. And you never will."
