Chapter 6 - Unraveling the Web
The silence in the boardroom was so profound you could hear the electronic hum of the projector on the ceiling.
Marcus Vance leaned back in his leather chair, a slow, grim smile spreading across his face as he tapped the encrypted file on his tablet. “Well, Victoria. It appears your restructuring agreement missed a few key attachments. Specifically, the forensic audit showing three million dollars siphoned into an offshore account registered under your maiden name.”
Victoria’s hands shook as she gripped the edge of the table. She looked around the room, but every single board member had averted their eyes, distancing themselves from her like rats fleeing a sinking ship.
“It’s a lie!” Victoria screamed, her polished composure finally shattering into jagged pieces. She pointed a trembling finger at Nathan. “He’s mentally unstable! He signed those papers willingly! He gave me the company!”
“I signed a blank proxy under chemical duress,” Nathan corrected, his voice cutting through her hysterics like a scalpel. He stopped leaning entirely on the crutches, locking his arms straight as he anchored himself to the back of a chair. “Dr. Ellis Monroe administered high doses of unprescribed flurazepam and synthetic neuroleptics to induce artificial cognitive impairment. We have the pharmacy records, the blood test results from my admission to Hartford General Hospital last night, and audio recordings of your telephone conversations with Arthur discussing the timeline for my institutionalization.”
Arthur Sterling dropped his head into his hands, realizing the game was utterly lost.
The federal investigator stepped forward, pulling a pair of steel handcuffs from his belt. “Victoria Whitmore, Arthur Sterling, you are under arrest for corporate fraud, conspiracy, and administration of restricted substances without medical consent. Anything you say can and will be used against you.”
As the cold click of handcuffs echoed through the luxury boardroom, Victoria stared at Nathan with a look of pure, unadulterated venom.
“You’ll ruin everything we built,” she hissed as the troopers led her toward the door. “Without me, the company will tear itself apart from the inside out.”
“The company survived my accident,” Nathan replied quietly. “It will certainly survive your absence.”
When the heavy doors finally closed behind them, the remaining directors sat in stunned silence. Marcus Vance stood up, walked around the table, and extended a hand toward Nathan.
“Welcome back, son,” Marcus said, shaking Nathan’s hand firmly. “The board owes you an enormous apology. And… an introduction to whoever managed to smuggle you out of that house and bring you here.”
May you like
Nathan turned his head toward the doorway where Emily stood quietly with her arms crossed, watching the proceedings with a calm, neutral expression.
“That,” Nathan said softly, “is my new head of private care.”
