Chapter 9 - The Fall of the EmpireThirty minutes later, the executive boardroom on the 50th floor of Barrett Global Industries was illuminated by emergency floodlights.
Julian Barrett paced frantically behind his desk, holding a secure phone line to his private offshore accounts. The double doors of the boardroom suddenly burst open with a deafening crash.
Wes Barrett walked in.
He wasn't leaning on his cane anymore. He walked with the terrifying, unstoppable stride of an apex predator reclaiming his territory. Behind him walked Marcus Cole and four armed federal agents.
Julian stopped dead, his face turning the color of curdled milk.
“W-Wes...?” Julian stammered, dropping his phone onto the desk. “You... you were supposed to be dead in that car...”
“And you were supposed to inherit an empire built on blood and betrayal,” Wes interrupted smoothly, his voice dropping to a dangerous, freezing register. “Instead, you engineered an assassination attempt, embezzled fifty million from our overseas accounts, and hunted a seven-year-old child across this city.”
“Lies! You can't prove a damn thing!” Julian screamed, lunging toward the door.
Marcus Cole stepped forward instantly, grabbing Julian by the lapels of his designer suit and slamming him brutally against the mahogany desk, pinning him in place.
Arthur Vance, standing trembling in the corner, raised his hands. “Don't look at me! Julian ordered the brake lines cut! I have the wire transfer receipts right here on my laptop!”
The federal agents stepped forward, clicking heavy steel handcuffs firmly around Julian’s wrists.
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“Julian Barrett, you are under arrest for attempted murder, corporate embezzlement, and conspiracy,” the lead federal agent declared, hauling the screaming, thrashing corporate traitor out of the boardroom.
As the doors closed behind them, absolute silence returned to the highest floor of Barrett Global.
