Chapter 7 - The Arrests
The boardroom descended into absolute chaos.
The investors practically jumped out of their chairs, scrambling away from the table as the marshals moved in.
"Derek and Marlene Vance," the agent announced, her voice booming with authority. "You are both under arrest for federal wire fraud, embezzlement, corporate espionage, and forgery."
"This is a mistake!" Derek panicked, backing away until he hit the glass window. "I didn't steal anything! The money was transferred to me by her father!"
"Really?" Agent Vance raised an eyebrow. "Because at 7:14 a.m. this morning, we logged an IP address from your home attempting to wire eight million dollars into an offshore account registered in the Cayman Islands."
Marlene let out a high-pitched gasp, her legs giving out. She collapsed into one of the expensive leather chairs, her face pale with terror.
"We have the digital signatures. We have the routing intercepts," Agent Vance continued, pulling out a pair of steel handcuffs. "You took the bait, Derek. Hook, line, and sinker."
"She set me up!" Derek screamed, pointing a trembling finger at me. "She planted that ledger! She's a manipulative, lying bitch!"
"And what about the domestic abuse?" Elena spoke up from the doorway, her voice deadly quiet.
Elena pulled out a remote control and pointed it at the massive projector screen at the front of the boardroom.
The screen flickered to life.
Suddenly, the 3:00 a.m. security footage from my bedroom began playing.
The room watched in horrified silence as the video showed Derek storming in, ripping the blankets off, pushing me into the bedframe, and shouting, "Get up, useless woman!"
They heard Marlene's cruel laughter. They saw the sheer, unadulterated evil of what they did behind closed doors.
Derek stared at the screen, his mouth opening and closing like a suffocating fish.
The investors looked at him with absolute disgust. One of them actually spat on the floor near Derek's shoes.
"You're a monster," the lead investor said quietly. "The deal is off. And we will be fully cooperating with the authorities."
"Turn around," the marshal barked at Derek.
Derek didn't fight back this time. The cowardice that always hid beneath his rage finally surfaced. He began to sob, heavy, pathetic tears streaming down his face as the cold steel clicked around his wrists.
Marlene didn't even cry. She just stared at her handcuffed wrists in absolute shock, muttering about her ruined reputation.
I stood up, buttoning my suit jacket, and walked over to where Derek was being held.
May you like
He looked up at me, his eyes pleading. "Please," he whispered. "I'm sorry. I'll give it all back. Please don't do this."
"You wanted me to clean the office, Derek," I said softly. "Consider it spotless."
