Chapter 5 - The Second Shoe Drops
The Arrival of the EnforcerBefore Dominic could defend himself against Evelyn’s fury, the heavy mahogany doors of the ballroom swung open once more.
This time, no one shouted. No one screamed.
A chilling, heavy silence fell over the room as a dozen men in impeccably tailored federal-grade black suits marched into the ballroom in perfect military formation. They moved with absolute discipline, flanked by armed private security agents and federal marshals bearing official receivership warrants.
At the head of the procession walked a man with sharp, predatory features, cold silver-streaked hair, and eyes like polished steel.
Victor Sterling.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees. The elite businessmen of the city recognized him instantly. Senators, corporate CEOs, and media moguls shrank back against the walls, terrified to even breathe too loudly in his presence. Victor Sterling did not attend social galas. When Victor Sterling entered a room, entities ceased to exist.
Victor walked past the panicking crowd without sparing a single one of them a glance. He walked straight toward Vivienne, stopping a few feet away. His cold, dangerous expression melted instantly into absolute warmth as he looked at his younger sister.
"Viv," Victor said softly, offering her his arm. "Are you and my niece alright?"
Vivienne slipped her hand through his arm, nodding calmly. "We're fine, Victor. But I think the air in this room is getting a bit stale."
"I agree," Victor said. He turned his cold, dead gaze toward Dominic, who had dropped to his knees on the marble floor, trembling uncontrollably.
Victor let go of Vivienne’s arm and took two slow, deliberate steps toward the cowering CEO.
"Dominic Vance," Victor said, his voice echoing off the vaulted ceiling like the tolling of a funeral bell.
"V-Victor..." Dominic whimpered, pressing his palms against the floor, tears streaming down his face as he looked up at the man who held absolute life and death over his entire existence. "Please... I didn't know... I swear to God I didn't know she was your sister..."
"That is precisely your crime," Victor replied coldly. "You thought you could discard a Sterling, humiliate a Sterling, and parade your infidelity in a building built with Sterling gold."
Victor snapped his fingers.
Behind him, Marcus Thorne stepped forward, holding a thick leather-bound folder.
"As of 8:42 PM," Marcus announced loudly for the entire ballroom to hear, "Vance Industries is officially dissolved. All corporate assets, intellectual property, real estate holdings, bank accounts, and personal properties registered to Dominic Vance have been seized under federal receivership for corporate fraud, breach of fiduciary trust, and misuse of private investment capital."
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Marcus tossed a set of heavy brass keys onto the floor right in front of Dominic’s knees.
"You are officially bankrupt, homeless, and stripped of every single cent you ever earned under our roof," Marcus added. "And by order of the federal prosecutor, an investigation into your offshore accounts has just been initiated. You are looking at a minimum of fifteen years in a federal penitentiary."
