Chapter 14 - The Counter-StrikeThe ballroom erupted into hushed gasps. No one—no one—spoke to Victor Sterling that way in public.
Sterling stepped forward, his eyes narrowing into venomous slits. "You little piece of—"
"Quiet, Victor," I interrupted, my voice dropping into a deadly, freezing register as I stepped in front of Emily, shielding her while towering over him. "You sent a threatening letter to my home. You thought you could intimidate my family."
I raised my left hand and snapped my fingers twice.
Suddenly, every television screen mounted on the ballroom walls flickered to life. The soft classical music cut out, replaced by audio recordings broadcasted on full volume across the entire room.
It was Victor’s voice—clear, undeniable, and damning.
"Transfer the fifty thousand to Margaret's offshore account. Once the vault codes are copied, crash Whitaker's logistics network. I want him broken by midnight."
The color drained entirely from Sterling’s face. He stumbled backward, knocking against a table of crystal glasses that shattered loudly on the marble floor.
"What... what is this?" Sterling stammered, looking around frantically as whispers erupted among the elite members of his own syndicate.
"That," I said coldly, stepping closer to him while my security detail moved in to block all exits, "is your confession. My cybersecurity team didn't just trace your proxy servers yesterday, Victor. We hacked your private corporate mainframe, downloaded every illegal wire transfer you've made in the last decade, and transmitted it directly to federal regulators three minutes ago."
Sirens began wailing outside the hotel. Red and blue lights flashed through the towering floor-to-ceiling windows.
"You... you can't do this!" Sterling shrieked, lunging forward in blind rage. "I'll destroy you! I'll ruin every company you own!"
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"You're already ruined," I whispered, watching as federal agents in tactical gear poured through the ballroom doors, their handcuffs gleaming under the crystal lights.
As Sterling was wrestled to the floor and dragged away in disgrace, the remaining members of the syndicate averted their eyes, terrified to even look in my direction.
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