Chapter 8 - The Ultimate CollapseArthur’s lead attorney frantically gathered his paperwork, sliding away from his client as if fear were contagious. "Mr. Sterling, if there is active criminal liability regarding stolen IP and fraudulent frame-ups from this scale... our firm is terminating representation immediately."
"Wait—don't let them leave," Arthur stammered, looking frantically around the table at his corporate associates, who were already backing away from him toward the glass doors.
Claire walked slowly around the table until she stood directly opposite him, looking down with twenty-four years of vindicated fury in her eyes.
"You didn't just steal our technology, Arthur," Claire said quietly. "You stole my best friend. You stole decades of peace from a woman who only wanted to build things that mattered."
"Claire—let's be reasonable," Arthur pleaded, sweat beading on his forehead. "We can settle this quietly. Arbitration, settlements, non-disclosure—"
"There will be no settlements, Arthur," Claire interrupted, her voice ringing with absolute finality. "As the majority shareholder of Whitmore Aeronautics, and acting on behalf of the original patent holders, I am officially filing criminal charges of corporate espionage, forgery, embezzlement, and malicious prosecution against you."
Rebecca stepped forward, handing a thick stack of federal paperwork directly to Arthur's former attorney. "Federal marshals are waiting in the lobby downstairs. They have a warrant for your arrest."
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Arthur slumped back in his chair, defeated. The empire he had spent two decades building on a foundation of lies and stolen brilliance was collapsing in real time.
Without another word, two security guards flanked the disgraced billionaire, pulling him roughly out of his chair and escorting him out of the boardroom as the doors clicked shut behind him.
