Chapter 8 - THE TABLES TURNOn the big screen, the courtroom feed showed Victoria Sterling standing before a federal judge, flanked by her own defense counsel—who looked entirely pale and defeated.
"What is this?" Julian hissed, taking a step toward the table. "Why are you showing us Victoria's arraignment?"
"Because, Julian," Arthur said, his voice echoing clearly through the silent boardroom, "Victoria didn't just whisper secrets behind my son's wall. She kept a detailed journal. Every bank account, every offshore routing number, and every single text message exchanged between her and her co-conspirator."
Julian’s face drained of color. He lunged toward the door, but the boardroom doors locked automatically with a heavy click.
From the shadows near the entrance, two men in federal law enforcement jackets stepped forward, blocking his exit.
"Julian Thorne," the lead federal agent announced, flashing a shiny silver badge. "You are under arrest for conspiracy, corporate espionage, kidnapping, and financial fraud. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law."
Julian spun around, his eyes wild with panic, glaring at Arthur. "You knew! You knew all along!"
"I knew the moment Leo handed me that voice recorder," Arthur said, standing up slowly and buttoning his suit jacket. "My son is a lot smarter than you gave him credit for. When you spend three years listening to your captors whisper their plans through a concrete wall, you tend to remember every single detail."
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The federal agents grabbed Julian by the shoulders, slamming his wrists into cold steel handcuffs. As they dragged him kicking and screaming past the polished mahogany table, Julian caught a glimpse of the financial tickers behind him.
The stock charts weren't showing a hostile takeover. They were showing Thorne Capital’s entire portfolio being systematically liquidated and absorbed by Sterling Industries for pennies on the dollar.
