Chapter 15 - The Fall
Handcuffs clicked loudly around Julian’s wrists. He didn't fight back; he was entirely broken, staring at Arthur with wide, terrified eyes.
Clara, however, fought like a feral cat.
"Arthur, please!" she shrieked as an agent dragged her toward the elevators. "I was manipulated! He forced me to do it! I love you!"
Arthur stood tall, leaning on his cane, watching her struggle. "You love my money, Clara. And thanks to the prenuptial morality clause my lawyers drafted years ago, your arrest for attempted murder leaves you with absolutely nothing."
He turned his back on her as the elevator doors closed, cutting off her hysterical screaming.
The boardroom was dead silent. The board of directors stood frozen, staring at the man who had just returned from the grave and executed a flawless, brutal coup in under five minutes.
Arthur turned to face them. He adjusted his suit jacket, ignoring the burning pain in his legs.
"Take your seats," Arthur commanded, his voice returning to its calm, authoritative CEO tone.
The executives immediately scrambled to sit down, terrified of the man standing before them.
"Sterling Global has experienced a minor... restructuring," Arthur said smoothly. "But as of this moment, I am reclaiming my position as Chief Executive Officer. And we have a lot of work to do."
May you like
As the board meeting commenced, Arthur looked out the massive glass windows at the Chicago skyline. The city was his again. He had won.
But as he looked at his silver cane, he realized that his true victory wasn't in this boardroom. It was waiting for him at a snowy estate upstate.
