Chapter 14 - Whispers in the Cell Block
Fifty miles away, inside the county holding facility, Nathan sat on a cold steel bunk in a brightly lit, sterile holding cell. The gray jumpsuit felt heavy and abrasive against his skin, a million miles away from the custom-tailored charcoal suit he had worn at the altar just forty-eight hours prior.
His cell door rattled as a guard unlocked it and pushed a plastic tray of lukewarm lunch through the slot.
"Cross. Visitor in booth four," the guard barked without looking up.
Nathan dragged his feet down the linoleum corridor, his heart hammering against his ribs. He hoped—against all rational logic—that it might be a high-priced defense attorney offering a miracle, or perhaps an emissary from his mother with some good news.
Instead, he slid into the hard plastic seat behind the thick, scratched plexiglass divider and picked up the heavy black telephone receiver. On the other side sat a man in an expensive navy suit—Marcus Vance, one of the primary investors Nathan had systematically defrauded over the past two years.
Marcus didn't look angry. He looked dangerously, coldly amused.
"Hello, Nathan," Marcus said through the audio speaker, his voice smooth as glass. "I wanted to congratulate you on your wedding weekend. Truly unforgettable entertainment."
Nathan swallowed hard, his hands trembling as he gripped the receiver. "Marcus... look, there's been a massive mistake. Sharon—she manipulated the timeline, she set me up—"
"Save your breath, kid," Marcus cut him off sharply, his expression hardening into stone. "The federal prosecutors have your encrypted server logs, your mother’s wire transfers, and the victim impact statements from every single investor you lied to. You're facing fifteen years on federal wire fraud and securities manipulation charges alone."
"Please," Nathan whispered, a tear finally breaking loose and rolling down his cheek. "There has to be a way we can settle this. I can give you control of the startup—"
"The startup?" Marcus let out a short, cold laugh. "Your startup was liquidated by the bankruptcy court this morning. And guess who bought your primary patent portfolio for pennies on the dollar? Sharon’s new holding company."
Nathan’s jaw dropped. The room seemed to tilt sideways. "She... she bought my company?"
May you like
"She didn't just buy it, Nathan," Marcus smiled grimly, standing up and adjusting his jacket. "She owns you, lock, stock, and barrel. Enjoy your stay."
The receiver clicked dead. Marcus turned and walked out of the visitation room, leaving Nathan alone in the dark silence of his absolute defeat.
