The Heiress Club (COMPLETED)

Chapter 27: Fin

His dad was stony silent.

They stopped at the thirtieth floor. The elevator doors slid open into a pleasant-looking apartment. What was not pleasant about it was the police officers examining every inch of it. "See for yourself," his dad snapped.

Jasper stepped out of the elevator, looking around. It looked lived-in. The police hadn't moved anything, it seemed. Several surfaces were dusted with dark powders. It looked like someone had gone out for an afternoon walk and just never came back. There were papers scattered around the glass coffee table in the centre of the penthouse.

He moved closer, looking at the papers.

What are these?

They were a lot of things, all at once. News articles about the Rochester family. News articles about the Mnisi family. News articles about the Rivera family. He picked up one of the papers. One of the police officers made a noise of complaint, but was silenced by a harsh glare from his dad.

This one was what seemed to be a list of every single character detail about Noelise Mnisi. Jasper didn't even know how someone would find out some of this information. Likes caviar. Likes bluefin tuna. Dislikes global warming. Good relationship with father. Et cetera et cetera. Picking up more pages, he realised that it went on for at least five full pages of bullet-points.

He tossed the pages about Noelise aside, looking deeper. There was another page, listing all Italian families with above one billion dollars in income. There was another page, listing details about just about ever important Italian heir or heiress that existed. There was another page, listing the places where all of the most important billionaires and children of political pundits went to school. The names that corresponded to Arbourne had been bolded.

There was another page, listing every single personal detail about ... John Rochester.

His father's age. His middle name. His exact birth date. There were even pictures of him printed out with his mistresses, listing every name of them and the dates from when his relationship started.

Then there was a set of papers which looked like bank forms. Jasper picked those up, frowning.

"Forged statements," his dad snapped, taking the paper from his hand. "False proof of collateral for massive bank loans."

"So—what?"

"Look at the name on the statements." His dad shoved the paper in his face.

Jasper read the name.

Marco Bianchi.

Suddenly, the elevator dinged again. Jasper turned around. Three people stepped out. Teddy Rivera. Anathi Mnisis. Noelise Mnisi.

Slowly they pieced together what happened.

The police had documented every paper and scoured every surface for fingerprints. They were totally clear. The only evidence left behind was what Marco Bianchi had willingly left. Fake passports. Fake birth certificates. Fake vaccination certificates. Fake collateral. Fake bank statements. Lies on top of lies.

And most of all?

A fake company.

Jasper didn't know how much his dad had invested. Others must have been in on it too. Anathi looked drawn and worried. Teddy looked as if he was about to faint.

"How much are we talking?" Jasper heard his father whisper to Anathi.

"I put in three billion."

His father paused. "I put in four."