Chapter 15 - Checkmate in the Boardroom
Forty-eight hours later, the penthouse boardroom of Aegis Sovereign Capital in Toronto was surrounded by fifty tactical officers, federal prosecutors, and representatives of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Victoria Vance-Daniels sat at the head of the forty-foot glass conference table, surrounded by six high-priced defense attorneys who were shuffling papers in frantic, sweating disarray. Marcus Sterling sat beside her, his arm bound in a medical sling, handcuffed securely to his chair under armed guard.
The double doors swung open.
Jerry Wallace walked into the room, flanked by Caleb, whose arm was bandaged, and Elena Vance. Behind them walked Kathy Wallace, walking with serene, unbreakable poise.
Jerry laid a single file folder in front of Victoria.
"The hospital just called," Caleb said quietly, his voice cutting through the stuffy boardroom air. "Shelby survived surgery. The bullet missed her subclavian artery by an inch. She has signed a full deposition detailing every transaction, every offshore bribe, and every instruction you gave her to sabotage Wallace Maritime."
Victoria glared at her former son-in-law, her composure cracking, revealing the bitter, venomous monster underneath. "She is a traitor. A pathetic, ungrateful little wretch."
"She’s your daughter," Kathy said, her voice filled with a solemn, devastating moral weight that silenced every lawyer in the room. "And unlike you, Victoria, when the moment of truth came, she chose sacrifice over greed. She showed more honor in one second on that dirty pier than you have shown in your entire miserable life."
Lead Federal Prosecutor Robert Chambers stepped forward, placing a stack of federal arrest warrants before Marcus and Victoria.
"Victoria Vance-Daniels, Marcus Sterling," Chambers announced clearly. "You are under arrest for conspiracy to commit industrial sabotage, racketeering, wire fraud, attempted murder, and international money laundering. The court has denied bail due to extreme flight risk."
As the officers moved in and the steel handcuffs clicked around Victoria’s manicured wrists, she looked at Jerry Wallace with pure venom. "You think you’ve won, Wallace? You think this ends here? You don't know who backed my funds. You don't know who really owns the debt!"
Jerry Wallace looked down at her with calm, unyielding eyes.
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"I don't care who you work for, Victoria," Jerry replied softly. "In my house, we work for the truth. And around here, the truth always pays in full."
***
