Chapter 5 - The Execution of Default
Arthur Ashford collapsed heavily into his leather chair, his hands shaking violently as he looked at Julian Hayes. "Julian... tell me this is a joke. Tell me he doesn't own the note!"
Attorney Julian Hayes picked up the legal document Marcus had set on the table, scanned the signature line, and slowly lowered his head onto his hand.
"It's not a joke, Arthur," Hayes whispered, his voice trembling. "Apex Capital holds forty million dollars of our primary debt. And the note matured at 8:00 AM this morning."
Victoria leaned over the table, her hands clutching the mahogany edge, tears of pure, desperate panic finally spilling over her manicured cheeks.
"Ethan..." Victoria wept, her voice dropping into a pathetic, begging tone. "Ethan, please... listen to me! Saturday night was a misunderstanding! I was joking! You know how society events are! We consider you family!"
I looked at the woman who had stood under crystal chandeliers forty-eight hours ago and told five hundred guests that my father had gutter blood.
"You don't consider anyone family, Victoria," I said coldly. "You consider people leverage. And today, you have none."
I pulled a second folder from Marcus's briefcase and tossed it flat onto the table.
"This is a formal Notice of Default and Demand for Immediate Asset Seizure," I announced clearly for the entire board to hear. "Because Ashford Industrial Logistics failed to execute the restructuring terms prior to the 8:00 AM deadline, Apex Capital is exercising its legal right to seize the pledged thirty-five percent voting shares."
"You can't do that!" Fiona screamed, sprinting from the back wall toward the table, her face contorted in wild, hysterical terror. "Ethan, you loved me! We were going to get married! You can't ruin my family!"
I looked at Fiona—the girl in the ivory silk dress who had laughed into her napkin while my father stood alone in his new suit.
"I didn't ruin your family, Fiona," I said, looking her straight in her eyes. "Your family's arrogance ruined itself. You were so busy looking down on honest people that you didn't notice the ground beneath your feet was completely hollow."
Marcus stepped forward, handing a second packet to two uniformed officers from the State Financial Crimes Division who had entered the room behind us.
"And regarding the twelve million dollars embezzled from your employee pension fund, Mr. and Mrs. Ashford," Marcus added smoothly, "the State Attorney General’s office has already frozen your offshore accounts in Grand Cayman."
Arthur Ashford let out a choked, strangled cry, burying his face in his hands on the table, while two state troopers stepped up to Victoria, placing steel handcuffs around her manicured wrists.
Victoria shrieked and thrashed as she was led out of her own executive boardroom, her expensive suit rumpled, while twenty board members stood in total silence, watching the total, humiliating collapse of the Ashford empire.
Fiona dropped onto her knees on the carpet, weeping hysterically, grabbing at my trouser leg. "Ethan... please... I'm sorry... please forgive me!"
I stepped back, gently removing her hand from my shoe.
May you like
"Goodbye, Fiona," I said cleanly.
I turned to my father, placed my arm warmly around his shoulders, and together, we walked out through the double glass doors into the bright Chicago morning.
