Chapter 9 - Epilogue – The Unseen ArchitectSix months later, the federal trial concluded in record time.
With Savannah Cole’s testimony, the corporate audit trails, and the undeniable paper trail of intellectual property theft, the jury deliberated for less than ninety minutes.
Guilty on all counts.
Derek Sloan was sentenced to twelve years in federal prison with no possibility of parole for the first eight. His name was stripped from every business registry in the Southeast, and his assets were completely liquidated to pay back defrauded investors and fund a state-wide grant program for women in science and engineering—administered by Mercer & Daughter Innovations.
On a quiet Sunday afternoon, Mara walked through the botanical gardens in downtown Charlotte, the autumn leaves crunching softly beneath her low heels.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket.
It was a text message from her father: Sunday dinner at my place. Bring your appetite. No courtrooms allowed.
May you like
Mara smiled, typing a quick reply: On my way, Dad.
She paused near a stone fountain, adjusting the silver watch on her wrist. The glass was clean, the hands moved steadily forward, and for the first time in her life, every single second belonged entirely to her.
