Chapter 4: The Estate
The iron gates of the family estate swung open as Julian’s car bypassed the private security detail. As the primary trustee of the family’s holding company, his authority superseded Eleanor's, a detail she had always deeply resented.
He bypassed the grand foyer and marched straight into Eleanor’s private study, a room lined with mahogany bookshelves and original oil paintings. He ordered the estate manager to immediately freeze all of Eleanor’s personal accounts, cancel her credit lines, and lock her out of the corporate servers.
Julian moved to the eastern wall of the study. He knew the blueprints of this house better than anyone. Pressing firmly against the molding of a seemingly stationary bookshelf, a hidden hydraulic latch released. The shelf swung outward, revealing a heavy steel safe embedded in the concrete foundation. He punched in his late father’s birthdate. The heavy door clicked open.
