Chapter 3: The Bloodline Lock

Vicky

I stepped out through the side door of the mansion, slipped on my dark sunglasses, and got into the back seat of my tinted car. My heart was pounding hard, but my mind felt ice cold.

As the door shut, the soft music already playing inside the car reached me — The Devil Doesn’t Bargain by Alec Benjamin.

I pulled the tissue from my robe pocket and carefully moved the slightly damp white pill into a small glass vial I had taken from my vanity.

“To the Grand Tower, Thomas,” I told my driver. My voice came out smooth and firm. “Call Mr. Harrison. Tell him I need an emergency private meeting in his office in twenty minutes. No secretaries. No calendar notes.”

“Right away, Miss Victoria,” Thomas answered, nodding in the rearview mirror.

Twenty minutes later I stood in the top-floor corner office of Harrison & Associates, looking out over the city.

Mr. Harrison, the sharp-eyed lawyer in his sixties who had protected my father’s empire for thirty years, stood up from his big wooden desk. Concern showed in his eyes.

“Victoria, my dear,” he said, wiping his brow. “You look remarkably sharp today, but Thomas said it was urgent. Normally Philip handles your legal appointments.”

“Philip will never handle anything for me again, Mr. Harrison,” I said, sitting in the leather chair across from him.

I placed the clear glass vial with the white pill right on his desk.

“I need two things done right away, and no one else can know,” I said, leaning forward.

“First, this is the daily supplement Philip has been giving me. I want it sent to an independent lab that doesn’t keep official records. I need a full toxicology report and chemical breakdown by tomorrow morning.”

Mr. Harrison looked at the vial. His eyes narrowed behind his glasses. He didn’t ask silly questions. He knew better than to doubt my father’s daughter. He picked up a pen and wrote a private note.

“And the second thing?” he asked quietly.

“I am officially taking away Philip’s power of attorney from every single one of my personal and shared accounts,” I said. My voice cut through the room. “Also, I want my entire inheritance—the properties, the stocks, and the cash—moved into an irrevocable bloodline trust right now.”

Mr. Harrison froze. His pen stopped above the notepad.

“An irrevocable bloodline trust?” he repeated, surprised. “Victoria, that is a huge permanent step. Under normal marriage laws, if anything happened to you, Philip as your husband would have the main rights to manage and inherit everything. Putting it into a strict bloodline trust completely cuts him off from the money.”

“That’s exactly the point,” I said coldly. “If I die, one hundred percent of the estate goes straight to my sister. Philip gets nothing. My aunt and uncle get nothing. And while I’m alive, no one can touch or move any trust money without my personal biometric signature and your clear legal co-signature.”

Mr. Harrison stared at me for a long moment. Then a proud, sharp grin spread across his face.

“Your father built an empire with that same kind of thinking, Victoria,” he said, pulling a heavy binder from his desk drawer. “I can have the bloodline trust papers ready, signed, and active within two hours. Once it’s done, not even a high court order could give Philip or your relatives access to your legacy.”

“Do it,” I said. “And while you’re at it, draft divorce papers and pre-sign them. Keep them locked in your private safe until I give the word.”

By 6:00 PM the legal papers were finished, sealed, and binding. My late father’s multi-billion-dollar fortune was now an unbreakable fortress that protected only me and my sister.

When Thomas drove me back to the estate at 7:00 PM, the lights in the grand dining hall were already on.

I walked into the foyer, took off my dark coat, and revealed a tailored emerald-green silk dress that hugged my waist, showed off my curves, and made my glowing skin stand out. I put on a delicate diamond necklace, applied a fresh coat of deep red lipstick, and walked toward the dining room.

Philip and Jane were already sitting at the long wooden table, drinking red wine.

The moment Philip turned and saw me, his glass stopped halfway to his mouth. His eyes widened as he looked at my figure in the striking green dress. For a second, pure shock crossed his face—he had never seen me look so strong and alive.

Jane’s eyes narrowed with instant jealousy. She smoothed her cream dress, suddenly looking small and plain next to me.

“Victoria…” Philip breathed out, clearing his throat as he quickly stood to pull out my chair. “You… you look extraordinary tonight, darling.”

“Thank you, Philip,” I said smoothly, taking my seat at the head of the table.

As the butler poured my water, Jane leaned forward. Her fake smile stretched tight at the corners.

“So, Victoria,” she began eagerly. “You mentioned earlier that you had big news about your inheritance? Philip said you were thinking about making some changes.”

Philip leaned in, trying to hide how desperate he was behind a warm smile. “Yes, sweetheart. You know I only want to take the stress off your shoulders so you can rest and focus on your health. If you sign the management transfer over to me, I can handle those greedy board members for you.”

I picked up my wine glass and slowly swirled the dark red liquid. I looked back and forth between my husband and my best friend.

“Oh, don’t worry, Philip,” I whispered. My voice dropped into a low, cold purr. “I’ve already handled the estate. In fact, I made sure today that no leech will ever get their hands on my family’s money again.”

Philip’s smile froze. A pale shadow fell over his face.

“What… what do you mean by that, Victoria?”