Chapter 21
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Julian Vance froze, the color draining entirely from his arrogant face as federal agents in tactical gear poured out of the vans, their weapons drawn and aimed directly at him.
"FBI! Keep your hands where we can see them!" a commanding voice echoed through the hanger.
Thomas Sterling, the federal prosecutor, stepped out of the lead vehicle and walked purposefully toward the center of the room. Julian spun around to look at Marcus, his eyes wide with a mixture of terror and absolute fury.
"You set me up!" Julian screamed, his voice cracking as two agents grabbed his arms and roughly forced him against the rusted metal barrel, snapping heavy steel handcuffs onto his wrists.
"I told you, Julian," Marcus said coldly, looking down at the struggling man. "I built this empire. I decide who sits on the throne."
"This is illegal entrapment!" Julian yelled at Thomas Sterling as the agents read him his Miranda rights. "I am the CEO of Thorne Industries! You have no proof of anything!"
"Actually, Mr. Vance, we have offshore bank records, encrypted emails tying you to Isabella Rossi, and we just raided the Thorne Industries headquarters ten minutes ago," Thomas said smoothly, adjusting his tie. "We secured all of your personal servers. Oh, and we also have the incredibly clear audio recording of you confessing to extortion and wire fraud just now."
Marcus unbuttoned his coat slightly, revealing a small, high-tech microphone clipped to his lapel.
Julian stared at the microphone, the realization of his complete and utter destruction finally crashing down on him. His legs gave out, and the agents had to haul him up by his arms to drag him toward the waiting federal vehicles.
"You're going to lose the company over this, Marcus!" Julian spat bitterly as he was shoved into the back of a van. "The scandal will tank the stock! You burned it all down!"
"I can rebuild," Marcus replied quietly, watching the van doors slam shut. "You will just rot."
Marcus walked over to Thomas Sterling, shaking the prosecutor's hand.
"Clean sweep, Marcus," Thomas nodded in satisfaction. "The FBI has secured the headquarters. The rogue board members who conspired with him are being detained for questioning. It’s over."
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Marcus let out a long, shuddering breath. The air in the hanger suddenly felt lighter. He pulled out his phone and sent a single, two-word text message to Khloe.
“It’s finished.”
