Chapter 8 - Traitors in the Boardroom
The glass doors of the 50th-floor executive conference room swung open with a bang.
The entire board of directors—twelve men and women in dark, tailored suits—instantly stopped talking. At the head of the long mahogany table sat Harrison Croft, wearing a crisp navy suit and a silver silk tie, holding a gold Montblanc pen.
"Adrian," Harrison said smoothly, standing up with an air of practiced authority. "We were just discussing how best to protect the firm in light of this morning's... sensational headlines."
Adrian didn't sit down. He walked straight to the head of the table and leaned over Harrison, his presence overwhelming the room.
"The meeting is canceled," Adrian announced.
Harrison chuckled, a dry, dismissive sound. "My dear boy, you don't have the authority to cancel an emergency executive session. Under Section 4 of the corporate bylaws, a two-thirds majority vote can suspend the CEO pending a felony criminal investigation involving immediate family members."
"Caleb is arrested," Adrian replied coldly. "Madison Cole is in holding. And five minutes ago, the FBI seized the server logs for Croft Financial Holdings."
A visible wave of shock passed through the board members. Several of them sat up straight, whispering nervously to one another.
Harrison’s smile twitched, but his composure remained intact. "Bluffing won't save you, Adrian. You have no proof connecting me to your brother's financial misdeeds."
"I don't need to bluff," Adrian said. He pulled out his phone and tapped the screen.
The main presentation monitor on the wall flashed to life. A real-time audio transcript from Cook County Jail began playing directly through the room's high-definition speakers.
It was Madison Cole's voice, loud and clear:
"Harrison Croft forced me into this! He had the mechanic tamper with Claire's car! He transferred forty million dollars out of Westwood Logistics into shell corporations in Nevis!"
Harrison stood up so fast his leather armchair slammed into the wall behind him. "Turn that off!"
"Sit down, Harrison," Adrian ordered, his voice ringing like steel.
Adrian looked across the table at the twelve board members. "Harrison Croft murdered my wife to cover up the theft of forty-five million dollars from this company. If any person in this room votes to support him today, I will personally ensure that federal prosecutors charge you as an accessory after the fact."
Silence descended upon the room.
One by one, the board members lowered their hands, looking away from Harrison Croft as if he were radioactive.
"You're making a grave mistake, Adrian," Harrison hissed, his aristocratic facade finally cracking, revealing the cornered snake beneath. "You think you've won? You have no physical evidence. A junkie socialite's confession won't hold up in court!"
"That's where you're wrong," Adrian said. He checked his watch. "Because right now, my team is retrieving the secondary ledger from the Lake Forest estate."
Harrison's eyes widened in sudden, absolute terror. He reached for his phone, but before his fingers touched the glass, two armed federal agents pushed open the boardroom doors.
"Harrison Croft," the lead agent said, pulling a federal warrant from his jacket. "You are under arrest for corporate fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder."
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As the agents slapped heavy steel cuffs onto Harrison's wrists, Harrison leaned in close to Adrian, his breath hot against Adrian's ear.
"You're too late, Adrian," Harrison whispered, a sick grin spreading across his face. "My men are already at the carriage house. Your maid and her little bastard girl went there an hour ago to check the grounds. By now... they're ashes."
