Ginny found herself restless after her encounter with Lucy. Ginny could feel it, like a storm gathering at the edge of her consciousness.Her curiosity for answers kicked in, and she resolved to follow up on Raymond's suspicions regarding the estate's hidden documents.Raymond had spoken of some old family vault, a place seldom spoken of, where records, deeds, and personal family documents were kept. The key, he had said, was somewhere in Lucy's office.She waited until late in the evening when, hopefully, a moment of stillness would capture the house. While one and all were either at dinner or in their rooms, Ginny managed to slip silently into the hall, her feet light as she went forward towards Lucy's office.The pounding of her heart against her ribs as she stops at the heavy oak door makes her really apprehensive. The very thought of being apprehended here sent shivers down her spine, but she pushed it away, replacing her nerves with her determination.She carefully turned the ha
This was enough evidence to give reasonable doubt to the control of Lucy, but a wrong move would send her on a rampage, leaving the family and estate in ruins.The next morning found Ginny descending into the small study Raymond and she had taken to using as their own private planning room; outside, the morning light filtered in, casting an out-of, place warmth on the tension hanging in the air.He scanned the papers they had encrypted, his fingers following the old, crumbling edges."Ginny, with these papers, we could turn the board against her. But if Lucy finds out before we're ready…" He didn't need to spell it out; his anxiety was not needed in the equation.Ginny nodded, her eyes steely. "We have to be strategic. The last thing we need is for her to find out we've been in the vault.As they spoke, Joshua entered, his expression serious but calm. He was one of their few allies within the family, someone who grasped the depth of the manipulation Lucy had woven and genuinely wished
Ginny kept her gaze level as Lucy's eyes swept over the boardroom with a look of cool confidence.Raymond's steadfast presence beside her anchored her, his hand lying light on hers under the table, hidden from everyone else's view.They had spent days preparing for this meeting, and every word, every piece of evidence was about to see the light.The board members settled into their places, exchanging wary glances as they waited for the discussion to begin.Mr. Caldwell, who earlier seemed so keen to test Lucy's authority, sat down at the head of the table, signaling the beginning of the meeting.Lucy cut to the chase without wasting time. She stood, her voice as smooth as silk, addressing the room:"Thank you all for coming today. I called this meeting because I know there have been some questions regarding certain aspects of the estate's management.”Specifically, I understand there have been some concerns about my stewardship." She stopped then, looking around the room. "Let me reas
She entered the main hall of the estate where the family and board members had been called to convene; the air was thick with tension.Ginny could feel the charged energy of those around her; every person aware that the stakes had shifted after the last meeting, with Lucy removed from her position of power, at least temporarily.But Ginny knew that was only the beginning. Lucy's presence still cast a dark shadow over the estate, and tonight was the deal-sealer.Raymond stepped into the hall behind her, his bulk a comforting presence. She felt his hand press gently against her back, a silent reminder that they were both in this together."You ready for this?" he whispered.Ginny took a deep breath, her head nodding. "More than ever.The board members filed in, one by one, all finding their places and assuming an expectant attitude. And then, in true whirlwind fashion, Lucy strode in.Her gaze cut around the room, lingering briefly on Ginny and Raymond; a faint, glacial smile, barely re
Ginny’s heart pounded as she navigated the hallway toward Raymond’s study.The gravity of their situation was only becoming clearer as Lucy’s influence continued to haunt the family.She reached the study, releasing a soft sigh. He was waiting for her there, lines of apprehension etched all over his face.When she came into the room, he looked up at her, his face relaxing slightly as his eyes met hers.“She's not stopping, Ginny," he said, his voice low and determined. "Lucy is filing a legal claim to contest the board's decision. She's going for control, and if she wins, everything we've done to protect the estate will be for nothing.”Ginny quietly closed the door, fuming inside. "Is there a way we can stop her? With all the evidence we gathered, the board saw through her schemes, but I doubt she'll let that stand in a courtroom.”Raymond nodded and pulled out a chair for her. "That's what scares me. In a court of law, her resources could buy her an advantage. She will manipulate wh
“Joshua, it’s time to think about where your loyalties truly lie.”Lucy's voice was smooth as silk, while at the same time razor-sharp, making Joshua's spine tingle.Facing her, standing with his arms crossed in defense in the sitting room across from her, the dim light coming from the chandelier above managed to cast long shadows on the walls, adding even more to Lucy's commanding presence.She sipped from her glass of wine, her eyes never leaving him.“Loyalty?" Joshua echoed, his voice thick with incredulity. "I have been loyal to this family all my life.""To the family," Lucy corrected, her glass clinking loudly as she set it down. "But not to me, your mother. Do you think I haven't noticed how close you've grown to Ginny and Raymond? You've been following their lead, helping them undermine me.”Joshua's jaw clenched. He didn't know what to say. On one hand, Lucy was his mother; a woman he had trusted and held in high regard.On the other, Ginny and Raymond had made him believe i
Ginny stared at the piece of paper in her hand, her heart pounding.Annabella’s smug expression made her uneasy, but the words on the page demanded her attention.This was proof, clear, undeniable proof that Lucy had misused estate funds for personal enrichment.Ginny knew she needed this, but Annabella's sudden amenability made her suspicious."Why are you giving this to me?" Ginny asked folding the paper and slipping it into her pocket.Annabella shrugged and leaned against the doorframe with a faint smirk. "Let's just say, Ginny, that sometimes keeping the right allies is better than making enemies. And I know how Mother operates. She won't stop until she's destroyed you."Ginny's eyes narrowed. "So this is about protecting yourself?”The smirk dropped from Annabella's face, her eyes gone cold. "You're right to be suspicious, but believe it or not, I have a stake in this family too. If Lucy takes everything, we'll all lose."Ginny said nothing more, weighing Annabella's words. "Fin
Ginny paced her room, clutching the document Annabella had given her. Joshua’s wavering support weighed heavily on her mind.Because, if he were to take their mother's side wholly, then she and Raymond would be left with no allies strong enough to counter the plans laid down by Lucy.She paused at the window, her eyes straying to the garden where Annabella would often take walks when she wanted time alone.Tonight was no exception; Ginny saw her sitting on a bench, lost in thought. Between them, there was a growing tension; an uneasy partnership neither of them could ever quite feel confident in.Ginny made up her mind. She needed something more from Annabella if they were going to stand even the slightest chance against Lucy.________________________________________Annabella didn't bat an eyelid when Ginny walked up, though her keen eyes flickered up, sizing her up. "You couldn't stay away, could you?"Ginny sat down beside her, crossing her arms as she faced the woman who had broug
The room was suffocating, filled with the sharp tang of fear and the heavy sound of panting breaths. Ginny’s heart pounded as Lucy’s men spread out, eyes sharp and muscles tensed.Annabella leaned against the cool stone wall, holding the book of accounts as if it was her ticket to life. Joshua, on the other side, has his jaw clenched, fists too tightly bunched at his sides."You actually thought that you could outsmart me?" Lucy's voice sliced through. There was an undercurrent in her voice: humor laced with rage. She did another step and, by that light, her eyes sparkled menace. "You have underestimated me once too often."Standing her ground and her eyes fixed on Lucy, Ginny said, "We aren't afraid of you anymore, Lucy. The truth's out, and it is only a matter of time before the board sees it.Lucy's lips curled into a smile, but it was anything but friendly. "The boa"rd? Oh, darling, you don't think I'm worried about the board, do you?"She turned to one of her men, nodding sharply
The early morning air was sharp and cool as Ginny stood on the balcony of her room, staring out at the sprawling estate below.It was the calm before the storm, that silence that always heralds the expectation of an up-and-coming battle.Two days had gone by since they had met with the investigator, and their plan had begun its motion. Her testimony to the embezzlement of Lucy into papers, with the damning link to Victor Kane, had all been set in place.She had learned to make the most of moments like this; when the quiet seemed to cradle her in its fragile, uncertain peace. She knew it wouldn't last. The board meeting loomed ahead, and with it, Lucy's inevitable counterattack."Morning." Annabella's voice snapped her from her thoughts. She stepped onto the balcony, joining Ginny with a determined expression."Morning," Ginny said, offering her a small smile. "Are you ready?"Annabella glanced over at her, the light in her eyes unwavering. "As I'll ever be. We've come this far, and no
“You’re playing with fire, Ginny,” Joshua warned, his voice low as he leaned against the doorframe of her room.She sat at her desk, staring at the documents strewn all over the front of it. Margaret's testimony and the board's decision to sideline Lucy had been a monumental win, but it was a hollow victory. The air in the mansion still felt charged, like Lucy's fury had soaked into its walls.“She’s lost control of the board,” Ginny said, her tone resolute. “She knows she’s slipping, and that makes her more dangerous. But we’re not backing down now.”Joshua shook his head, his expression grim. “You don’t get it. Lucy’s not the type to slink away into obscurity. She’s the kind who burns everything to the ground if she can’t have it.”“Then we’ll douse her fire before she starts it,” Ginny replied sharply.Before Joshua could argue, a knock on the door interrupted them. Annabella stepped in, her face pale but determined.“We have a problem,” she said, holding up her phone.Ginny’s sto
“You can’t let her win, Ginny,” Annabella said sharply, leaning closer. “This is our moment. If we falter even for a second, she’ll dismantle everything we’ve worked for.”Ginny's fingers shook slightly as she flipped through the stack of documents before her, seated in the back of the car, parked a short distance from the boardroom where the meeting was about to take place. Joshua sat beside her, his expression unreadable as he stared out the window."I know," Ginny said finally, her voice low. "But this isn't just about facts and evidence, Annabella. It's about perception. Lucy's a master at twisting the narrative to suit her. Even with everything we have, she'll find a way to cast doubt if we're not careful."Joshua turned to her, his voice surprisingly steely. "That's why you need to stay calm. Let her think she's in control, and then hit her where it hurts."Anabella smirked. "That's what I've been saying all along."She exhaled slowly, and the nerves were forced to settle in. Th
“You’re going to get yourself killed,” Ginny hissed, gripping Annabella’s arm tightly. “This isn’t just some game of cat and mouse, Annabella. This is Lucy. She’ll tear you apart if you make the wrong move.”Annabella wrenched her arm free, her face sharp and defiant. "Then it's a good thing I don't plan on making a wrong move."Joshua, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, let out a long sigh. "Ginny's right. This is reckless, even for you. Confronting Lucy directly? You might as well hand her a loaded gun.Annabella rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips. “We can’t keep waiting for the perfect moment. We’ve got the evidence, Margaret’s testimony is locked in, and Lucy’s scrambling to keep control. This is the time to press her, not sit around hoping she doesn’t retaliate first.”Ginny leaned in, lowering her voice. "And just how do you plan on doing that? Walk in and just accuse her? She'll twist everything you say and bury you before you know what's hit you."A sl
The mansion buzzed with tension. Staff whispered in corners, their eyes darting nervously as they went about their duties.The front-page article had thrown the household into disarray, and Lucy's fury reverberated down every corridor.Ginny sat in her room with Annabella and Joshua, the stolen files and copies of the article spread out before them like battle plans."She's going to retaliate," Annabella said, her voice tight with urgency. "That article was a nuclear strike, and Lucy isn't the type to surrender quietly.Ginny nodded, her fingers tracing the edge of a document. "We've drawn her out of the shadows. Now we need to be ready for whatever she throws at us."Joshua, who had been uncharacteristically silent, spoke up. "I found something," he said, his voice low. "Last night, after Lucy called her allies, I checked the study. She left a folder open on her desk."Ginny's eyes narrowed. "What kind of folder?”Joshua wavered, glancing between them. "It was correspondence; letters
The next morning dawned overcast, as though the world itself mirrored the tension within the mansion.Ginny woke early, her mind still swirling with the revelations from the night before.They sat in the locked drawer of her desk, a comfort and a threat all at once. She hadn't slept too well; the enormity of what they were about to do weighed heavily upon her.Annabella came into her room at precisely seven, with a mug of steaming coffee in her hand and a glint in her eye. "We need a plan," she said without beating around the bush. "Lucy's not going to stay idle for long. She'll know something's off soon."Ginny nodded, taking the coffee gratefully. "We take the evidence to the board before she has a chance to spin her lies. We have the will, the financial records, everything. But we really have to tread carefully. If she gets even a hint of this...""She'll go nuclear," Annabella finished grimly. "Which means we need to move fast.As though called out by the saying of her name, Lucy'
The estate’s library smelled of aged leather and polished wood, a comforting yet foreboding scent that Ginny could no longer separate from her mounting anxiety.She sat at one of the long tables, surrounded by stacks of old legal documents, their edges frayed from years of handling.Annabella sat across from her, flipping through another bound volume, her brow furrowed in concentration."I still don't understand how she managed to rewrite his will," Annabella muttered, slamming her book shut in frustration. "There has to be something in here we can use."Ginny said nothing at first. She had been stuck on a page in the old draft of Raymond's will when suddenly her heart was racing wildly as one sentence leaped out at her."Annabella," she said quietly but urgently. "Look at this."Annabella leaned forward. Her eyes scanned the passage that Ginny pointed to. "What am I looking at?"It's a clause," Ginny said, her voice shaking with excitement. "It prevents the estate from unilateral con
The impending board meeting loomed like a thunderstorm on the horizon, its threat palpable. Ginny found herself in a restless daze, oscillating between hope and dread.She had hardly slept, her nights plagued by the specter of defeat. But something far more insidious gnawed at her gut-the flickers of recognition she glimpsed in Raymond's eyes.He was remembering, piecemeal and painfully, and the implications hung over her like a physical weight.This morning was no different. Outside her window, the sky was a mass of grey, diffused sunlight struggling to break its way through heavy clouds. At her desk, she sat flipping through Annabella's notes, though her mind struggled to focus. A soft knock on the door startled her out of her reverie."Come in," she called, her voice hoarse from disuse.The door creaked open, and Raymond stepped inside. His presence filled the room, his tall frame and broad shoulders exuding a quiet strength that still managed to unnerve her.“Ginny,” he said, his