Chapter 5 - The Boardroom AmbushThe sun rose over the city like a bruise, bruised purple and angry orange. I dressed with meticulous care. I didn't wear mourning black; I wore a sharp, tailored ivory pantsuit—the uniform of a woman who was ready for war.
Thaddius had left for the corporate headquarters early, kissing my forehead with patronizing affection and telling me to "take it easy." Vesper had breakfast served in the formal dining room, glaring at me across the mahogany table as if wondering why the poison hadn't broken my spirit completely yet.
"You look remarkably chipper for someone who just suffered such a... devastating loss," Vesper noted, her voice dripping with acid as she sipped her Earl Grey tea.
"Grief takes many forms, Vesper," I replied smoothly, pouring myself a cup of black coffee. "Some people cry. Others start planning for the future."
Before Vesper could parse the double meaning behind my words, my phone buzzed. It was a text from Detective Vance: “Warrants approved. We’re moving in. Front doors are breached.”
"Excuse me," I said, standing up from the table.
"Where do you think you're going?" Vesper demanded, her aristocratic composure slipping just a fraction. "Thaddius expects you to remain on the estate resting."
"I have a meeting to attend," I smiled, walking toward the grand foyer. "And you're invited, Vesper. In fact, your presence is mandatory."
By the time my Uber dropped me off at the sleek glass-and-steel monolith of Vanguard Enterprises, the lobby was a circus of flashing camera strobes and shouting reporters. Detective Vance and a half-dozen federal agents in tactical gear were already securing the elevators.
The security guards tried to block my path, but Vance flashed his badge, and I walked through the sliding glass doors with my head held high, my heels clicking sharply against the polished marble floor.
We ascended to the penthouse level—the executive boardroom where the quarterly meeting was currently underway. The heavy oak doors were thrown wide open by federal agents before anyone inside could object.
Thaddius stood at the head of the mahogany conference table, mid-presentation, his face turning the color of curdled milk as he saw me walk into the room, flanked by police officers. Beside him, Elena Vance dropped her tablet, the screen shattering against the floor.
And sitting in the VIP observer seat near the windows was Vesper, who must have taken a faster car and arrived just moments before us, her face frozen in sheer, unadulterated horror.
"Mave?!" Thaddius sputtered, stammering as he stepped back from the podium. "What is the meaning of this?! Security, get her out of here! She’s unstable—she’s recovering from a medical trauma!"
"Shut your mouth, Thaddius," Detective Vance boomed, stepping forward and slamming a thick stack of legal documents onto the conference table right in front of my husband.
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The silence in the boardroom was absolute. You could hear the hum of the air conditioning units high above.
"Thaddius Vanguard, Vesper Vanguard, and Elena Vance," Vance announced, his voice echoing off the glass walls. "You are all under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder, evidence tampering, and corporate financial fraud."
