Chapter 3 - The Algorithm of Deceit
The silence in the executive office was so profound that Charles could hear the blood rushing through his own ears.
He looked at the glowing list of rejected applicants, his mind racing to formulate a defense that wouldn't sound like a confession.
"Those applications were denied based on algorithmic risk assessments, Mrs. Vance," Charles lied smoothly, falling back on his corporate training.
"The computer flagged their business models as unsustainable in the current economic climate."
Evelyn did not yell, nor did she express any outrage.
She simply pressed another key on the keyboard, bringing up a secondary, hidden document on the wall screen.
"This is the internal email chain between you and the chief risk officer," Evelyn pointed out, reading the screen.
"In it, you explicitly ordered him to manually override the algorithm to ensure these specific neighborhoods received zero funding."
Charles felt the remaining color drain entirely from his face.
"You hacked my private company emails?" he whispered in horror.
"I own the company, Charles," Evelyn reminded him with a chilling smile.
"I do not need to hack what legally belongs to me."
Janet stood quietly in the corner, her eyes wide with shock as she realized the true extent of her boss's corruption.
"Why would you do this, Mr. Herrera?" Janet asked, her voice trembling with genuine disgust.
"Because keeping those neighborhoods economically depressed allowed his wealthy friends to buy up the real estate for pennies," Evelyn answered for him.
Charles sprang up from the chair, his primal instinct for survival temporarily overriding his fear of the powerful woman.
"You can't prove any of this in a court of law!" Charles shouted, pointing an accusing finger at her.
"This data is circumstantial, and my lawyers will drag you through civil litigation for a decade if you try to fire me."
Evelyn leaned back in the luxurious leather chair, looking thoroughly unimpressed by his sudden outburst.
"I am not going to fire you, Charles," she said softly.
Charles blinked, confusion momentarily washing over his panicked expression.
"You're not?" he asked, a tiny, foolish glimmer of hope igniting in his chest.
"No, firing you would simply allow you to take a golden parachute and find a new job at another corrupt institution," Evelyn explained.
"I am going to utterly destroy you."
Before Charles could process the threat, the heavy wooden doors of the office swung open violently.
Six men wearing identical, sharp black suits stepped into the room, their expressions completely devoid of any emotion.
They were not bank security guards; they were elite corporate auditors from Zenith Global's most ruthless division.
"Mrs. Vance, the perimeter is secured, and we have taken control of the building's server room," the lead auditor announced crisply.
Charles backed away until his spine hit the glass wall overlooking the city below.
"You can't do this!" Charles yelled, pulling his cell phone from his pocket with shaking hands.
"I am calling Richard Sterling, the chairman of the board!"
He dialed the number frantically, praying that his old-money mentor would save him from this nightmare.
Evelyn watched him make the call, making no attempt to stop him.
"By all means, Charles," Evelyn encouraged him.
"Call Richard."
"Tell him exactly what is happening here today."
Charles held the phone to his ear, listening to the ringing tone echo in his silent, hostile office.
The line clicked open, and Richard Sterling's gruff, impatient voice came through the speaker.
"Charles, I am on the golf course, this better be a massive emergency," Richard barked.
"Richard, thank God," Charles practically sobbed into the receiver.
"There is a crazy woman here claiming she is the majority shareholder of Zenith Trust, and she has hostile auditors tearing the branch apart!"
There was a long, terrible silence on the other end of the line.
When Richard finally spoke again, his voice was barely a whisper.
"Did you say an elderly Black woman?" Richard asked, the golf course bravado completely gone from his tone.
May you like
"Yes! Her name is Evelyn Vance, and she is insane!" Charles screamed.
"Hang up the phone, Charles, and do exactly what she says," Richard ordered, genuine terror leaking into his voice.
