"Eighteen months ago," Captain Miller announced to the silent dining room, "Arthur Sterling executed a irrevocable secondary land trust and codicil in the presence of state authorities. He specified that the trust could only be unlocked by his biological daughter using the physical master key hidden within this estate."
The court auditor opened the document to the final execution page.
"According to the verified codicil," the auditor read aloud, "the entirety of the Sterling Estate, along with fifty-one percent of voting stock in Sterling Holdings, is designated exclusively to Clara Sterling. Furthermore, all transfer documents presented by Eleanor and Victor Sterling following Arthur's death are officially designated as fraudulent under ongoing criminal investigation."
Chapter 6: The Fall of the House
Victorโs face drained of all color. He looked down at the document, then at Captain Miller, his voice rising in desperate panic. "This is a setup! That key was stolen! She forged those signatures!"
"The signatures were notarized by the Chief Justice of the District Court, Mr. Sterling," Captain Miller said coldly. He stepped around the mahogany table, pulling a pair of steel handcuffs from his belt. "And as for you and