Chapter 14 - THE BOARDROOM COUP
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At 10:45 a.m., the grand auditorium of the Callahan Maritime headquarters on Wall Street was packed with over fifty journalists, investors, and major shareholders.
Dominic Callahan stood behind the podium, wearing a dark blue suit, looking every bit the grieving, noble tycoon. Beside him stood Charles Vane, adjusting his gold spectacles, holding a leather folder containing the falsified psychological petition.
“Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” Dominic began, his voice laced with practiced sorrow, amplified by the heavy speakers. “It is with a heavy heart that I must share a deeply personal tragedy. My beloved wife, Clare, has suffered a severe psychological collapse brought on by prenatal complications. For her safety, and the safety of our unborn son, she has been placed under specialized medical care.”
A murmur ran through the room as reporters raised their cameras.
Before Dominic could continue, the massive digital screens behind the podium flickered. The Callahan Maritime corporate logo vanished, replaced by a glaring high-definition video feed.
The audio exploded through the auditorium speakers.
“She has served her purpose,” Dominic’s voice echoed in pristine, unmistakable Italian, accompanied by English subtitles flashing across the fifty-foot screens. “She carries my son. After he is born, I throw the toy away.”
The auditorium went dead silent.
Dominic froze, his face turning an ash-gray color as he stared up at the screen in absolute horror. Vane dropped his leather folder, papers scattering across the stage floor.
The video shifted to displaying high-resolution scans of the altered Naples contract addendum, side-by-side with Dominic’s secret Swiss bank authorizations and the falsified employee affidavits.
The heavy double doors at the back of the auditorium swung open.
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I walked into the room, flanked by Marcus Vance and two plainclothes federal agents.
“I’m afraid my recovery was surprisingly quick, Dominic,” I announced, my voice echoing clearly over the microphone in my hand.
