Chapter 11 - Checkmate
“Federal agents!” a man in a windbreaker shouted, taking control of the room.
“Nobody move!”
Vanessa stumbled backward, hitting the glass window.
“Dante, what is the meaning of this? I am your wife!”
“You are a parasite,” Dante said coldly.
He tossed a thick folder onto the mahogany table.
“Copies of Julian’s private ledger. Proof of embezzlement, corporate fraud, and conspiracy to commit murder.”
Julian’s eyes darted toward the exits, but agents already blocked every door.
“It’s a forgery!” Julian shouted desperately.
“He’s setting us up!”
“Is he?”
I stepped into the room, walking past the federal agents.
Julian’s eyes locked onto me, recognizing me instantly.
“You,” he hissed. “The temp.”
“Actually, I’m the waitress from Bellini’s,” I said, keeping my head held high despite my pounding heart.
“The one who heard you bragging about cutting his brakes. And the one who took the photos of your safe.”
Vanessa lunged at Julian, slapping him across the face.
“You idiot! You kept a ledger?!”
“I kept it to protect myself from you!” Julian roared back.
The FBI lead agent stepped forward, slapping handcuffs on Julian’s wrists.
Another agent approached Vanessa.
She didn't fight; she just stared at Dante with pure venom as they clicked the metal bracelets onto her wrists.
“You’ll regret this, Dante,” she spat as they led her away.
Dante didn't even blink. “Take out the trash.”
The boardroom emptied out, leaving just Dante, Marcus, and me standing in the sudden, deafening quiet of the victory.
May you like
Dante turned to me, the cold corporate titan fading away, replaced by the man I’d pulled from a wrecked car.
“It’s over,” he said softly.
