Chapter 14 - Whispers in the Corporate Shadow
The news of Julian's escape and the attack on our estate sent shockwaves through the financial sector. The next morning, the board of directors for Bennett Enterprises—the legacy company founded by my late father—called an emergency meeting.
Though I had stepped down from active management years ago to focus on my family and philanthropic work, I still held the controlling voting shares.
I arrived at the corporate headquarters in downtown Chicago under heavy security escort. The glass-and-steel skyscraper towered over the city, a cold monument to the wealth that had nearly destroyed my family.
As I entered the board room on the fortieeth floor, twelve men and women in tailored suits stood up in unison. At the head of the table sat Arthur Vance, a senior board member who had been a loyal ally to my father—and later, a subtle facilitator of Julian’s wild schemes before his arrest.
"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Arthur said, offering a tight, professional smile. "We were horrified to hear about the incident at your home last night. Truly dreadful."
"Let's skip the pleasantries, Arthur," I said, taking my seat at the end of the table. "Julian didn't break out of prison on a whim. He had access to encrypted communication, high-grade tactical equipment, and precise details about my home security setup. Details that were stored on the confidential servers of this company."
A uncomfortable silence fell over the room. Several board members shifted in their leather chairs, exchanging uneasy glances.
"Are you suggesting someone in this room helped a convicted felon attack your home?" Arthur asked, his tone dripping with fake indignation.
"I'm not suggesting it, Arthur. I know it," I replied, pulling a manila folder from my briefcase and laying it on the glass table. "Two hours ago, my security team traced the origin of the digital override code used to disable my perimeter cameras last night. The signal was routed through an IP address belonging to the executive suite on this very floor."
Arthur’s smile vanished. His jaw clenched slightly.
"Someone in this company paid for Julian's escape because they needed him to retrieve the private ledger," I continued, leaning forward. "The ledger that lists every illegal offshore transfer made by the board during the last fiscal year before the reorganization."
One of the younger female board members, Clara Sterling, spoke up, her voice trembling. "What ledger? The company was fully audited two years ago!"
"The public company was audited, Clara," I said, keeping my eyes locked on Arthur. "But Arthur and his inner circle maintained a shadow corporation—Vance Holdings. When Julian was arrested, he hid the primary drive containing the true account balances. He thought he could use it as leverage to buy his freedom. Last night, he didn't come to my house just for revenge. He came because he thought the drive was in my safe."
Arthur stood up slowly, pressing his hands against the table. "This is outrageous! You have no proof of these baseless accusations!"
"The federal prosecutors have the proof, Arthur," I said calmly. "I handed the server logs to the Department of Justice forty-five minutes ago. Federal agents are in the lobby right now."
On cue, the heavy double doors of the boardroom swung open. Four agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation walked in, led by a stern-looking woman holding an arrest warrant.
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"Arthur Vance," the lead agent announced. "You are under arrest for corporate fraud, obstruction of justice, and funding a fugitive's escape."
Arthur's face turned ash-grey. As the handcuffs clicked around his wrists, he looked at me with venomous hatred. "You think you've won?" he whispered as he was led past my chair. "Julian doesn't care about the money anymore. He wants you dead. And you can't stop a madman."
