Chapter 4 - The Paper Trail of Treason
Within two hours, news of the executive shakeup at Rowan Meridian broke across financial news networks.
“TEXAS REAL ESTATE GIANT IN TURMOIL: CEO EVAN ROWAN OUSTED AMID EMBEZZLEMENT INVESTIGATION; WIFE CLAIRE STERLING TAKES FULL CONTROL.”
In the basement garage of the Rowan Meridian Tower, Evan and Margaret were escorted out by corporate security like common trespassers. Evan’s executive card keys had been revoked, his company phone wiped remotely, and his personal belongings packed into two cardboard boxes sitting on the concrete floor.
"This can't be happening," Margaret wheezed, sitting on one of the boxes, clutching her heart. "Our family... our status... everything we built..."
"You didn't build it, Mom," Evan said bitterly, sitting on the concrete next to her, his head in his hands. "Claire built it. She always built it. We just took the credit."
"Shut up!" Margaret snapped, her eyes flared with delusion. "We still have my private fortune! We still have the $80 million I offered her! We will hire the best criminal defense lawyers in the country! We will sue her!"
Evan raised his head, his eyes empty. "Mom... where did you get that $80 million check yesterday?"
Margaret blinked. "From my personal liquidity account at Texas Commerce Bank."
Evan let out a hollow, hysterical laugh. "Mom... that account was cross-collateralized with Rowan Meridian’s credit lines. The moment Claire froze the company’s assets this morning... your bank accounts were frozen too."
Margaret’s face turned gray. She frantically pulled out her phone, dialing her personal wealth manager. She put it on speaker.
"Mr. Jenkins! This is Margaret Rowan! Why is my black card being declined at the garage kiosk?!"
"Mrs. Rowan..." the manager’s voice came through, filled with deep discomfort. "I was just about to call you. Federal marshals served a asset-freeze order on all accounts connected to Evan Rowan and primary guarantors half an hour ago. Your personal accounts, the family estate in Westlake, and the trust accounts have been locked pending the SEC investigation."
"WHAT?!" Margaret shrieked. "You can't freeze MY money! I'm not the CEO!"
"You signed as a corporate guarantor on the Mason Consulting loan instruments three months ago, Mrs. Rowan," the manager explained carefully. "Technically, you guaranteed the embezzled funds."
The phone line went dead.
Margaret dropped her phone onto the hard pavement. The screen shattered into a spiderweb of cracks.
At that exact moment, a sleek black SUV pulled up in front of them. The tinted window rolled down, revealing Leah Mason sitting in the back seat. She was no longer wearing the humble, quiet clothes of an assistant. She wore dark sunglasses, a designer trench coat, and held a leather briefcase on her lap.
"Leah!" Evan screamed, scrambling to his feet. "Leah! You traitorous snake! Where are the babies?!"
Leah adjusted her sunglasses and looked down at Evan with supreme contempt.
"They're with their nanny, Evan," Leah said casually. "Marcus had them moved to his estate in Aspen this morning."
"You ruined my life!" Evan screamed, pounding his fist against the car door. "I loved you! I gave you everything! I was going to make you my wife!"
Leah chuckled, a sound as sharp as broken glass. "You didn't love me, Evan. You loved your own ego. You couldn't stand that Claire was smarter than you, richer than you, and held all the real power. You used me to feel like a big man. And Marcus used your fragile ego to break you."
"I'll have you arrested!" Margaret spat, struggling to stand. "You stole millions!"
"I didn't steal anything, old woman," Leah replied coolly. "Every payment to Mason Consulting was signed personally by your son, approved by your board, and notarized by your legal team. I was just a consultant doing her job."
Leah pulled a thick manila envelope from her briefcase and tossed it through the window. It landed on the dusty floor right at Evan’s feet.
"What's this?" Evan asked, trembling.
"A gift from Marcus," Leah said as the SUV’s engine revved. "Consider it your final exit package."
May you like
The SUV sped away, leaving Evan and Margaret choking on the exhaust fumes. Evan bent down and picked up the envelope. When he opened it, his eyes widened in sheer horror.
Inside were hundreds of high-resolution photos of Leah, Marcus Vance, and... Margaret Rowan herself, sitting together in a private dining room in Dallas six months ago.
