Chapter 13 - Erasing the Vance Legacy
The transition was swift and merciless. Within forty-eight hours of the sentencing, contractors descended upon the headquarters of Thorne & Vance Holdings.
Julian stood in the plaza below, watching as massive cranes removed the heavy brass letters spelling "VANCE" from the building's facade.
"It looks better as just 'Thorne Capital'," Evelyn remarked, stepping out of the revolving doors holding two cups of artisanal coffee. She handed one to Julian. "The board voted unanimously this morning. Total rebranding. We are officially cutting all ties with the Vance legacy."
Julian took a sip of the coffee, enjoying the bitter, rich flavor. "Did you hear about Arthur?"
"Pled guilty to tax evasion and conspiracy to commit fraud," Evelyn nodded, her tone casual, as if discussing the weather. "He's looking at three years at a minimum-security camp in Pennsylvania. Mark Sterling took a plea for four years. The entire board has been purged of anyone even tangentially loyal to the Vance family."
May you like
Julian looked up at the empty space on the building where his ex-wife's name used to be. "It's strange. For two years, she was carefully planning how to erase me from my own life. It only took us a month to erase her completely."
"Never underestimate the power of a well-maintained ledger, Julian," Evelyn smiled, a genuine, warm expression that she rarely showed the world. "Numbers don't lie. And they certainly don't cheat."
