CHAPTER 9: THE TANGLED WEB
CHAPTER 9: THE TANGLED WEB
By midweek, the public relations storm surrounding the Montgomery family had reached a fever pitch. Reporters swarmed the gates of the estate, demanding statements about Liam’s past and the alleged fraud. Online commentators argued fiercely over the foundation's legitimacy, creating a dramatic social media frenzy that put immense pressure on local authorities.
Determined to find answers, Hannah took a step that surprised everyone—including Ethan. She scheduled a private visit to the state penitentiary to face Chloe face-to-face.
The visitation room was sterile and bleak. When Chloe was escorted in, wearing a drab orange jumpsuit, Hannah barely recognized the woman who had once tried to destroy her life. Chloe’s vanity was gone; her hair was pulled back loosely, and deep dark circles sat under her eyes.
"Have you come to gloat, Hannah?" Chloe asked, her voice raspy as she sat across the plastic partition. "To show me how happy you are while I rot in here?"
"I came for the truth, Chloe," Hannah said calmly. "Victoria Vance is suing the Hope Foundation. She claims you funneled illegal money into our charity before you were arrested. Did you?"
Chloe let out a bitter, mocking laugh. "Victoria? That leech? She doesn't give a damn about me or justice. She was my father’s corporate lawyer before he died. She’s using my downfall to claim those properties for her own investment firm."
Hannah leaned forward. "So the documents she filed are fake?"
Chloe paused, her expression softening into something resembling regret. "I was cruel, Hannah. I wanted to hurt you and Ethan. But I never touched your foundation’s land titles. Victoria forged those records using old signatures from my father's firm. She’s framing Liam because she knows his past makes him an easy target."
Hannah stared at Chloe, searching her face for any sign of deception. For the first time, she saw no malice in Chloe’s eyes—only the broken spirit of a woman who had realized too late that hatred destroys the bearer.
"Why are you telling me this, Chloe?" Hannah asked softly.
Chloe looked down at her handcuffed wrists. "Because in here, I have nothing left to lie for. And because... that baby of yours deserves a life free from Victoria’s poison. Look into the 2022 filing records of Vance Enterprises. That’s where her paper trail begins."
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Hannah stood up, nodding slowly. "Thank you, Chloe."
As Hannah walked out of the prison into the bright sunlight, she felt a surge of determination. She had the key to breaking Victoria’s plot, but time was running out.
