Chapter 9 - The Fall in the Ballroom
|
The news spread through the grand ballroom like a shockwave.
Within sixty seconds, the quiet whispers died down completely. Four hundred guests—the elite of Chicago business, politics, and society—turned their attention toward the VIP platform.
Nolan looked around frantically, his eyes darting from Arthur Pendelton’s disgusted face to the crowd of cameras and cell phones suddenly being raised in his direction.
"Ethan... please," Nolan whispered, stepping closer to me, his voice trembling violently. "We built this company together. Talk to me in private. Don't do this here."
"I begged you to talk to me four days ago, Nolan," I said, my voice cold and loud enough for the front row of guests to hear clearly. "When the news broke, I called you twelve times. You didn't answer. You were too busy sitting in my chair."
"I did it for the company!" Nolan hissed, his composure entirely gone, his teeth clenched in desperate rage. "You were soft, Ethan! You were spending millions on charitable foundations and green research while Titan offered us real global power! You didn't have the stomach to do what was necessary!"
"No," I replied, staring into the eyes of the man I used to call a brother. "I had the stomach to build a company with integrity. You only had the stomach to steal it."
At that exact moment, two men in dark suits, accompanied by hotel security and two uniformed police officers, pushed through the double doors of the ballroom.
They walked straight up the steps of the VIP platform.
"Nolan Pierce?" the lead federal agent asked, pulling a gold badge from his suit pocket.
Nolan froze, his hands trembling so hard he dropped his glass of scotch. It shattered against the polished hardwood floor, amber liquid and shards of glass spraying across his expensive leather shoes.
May you like
"Yes..." Nolan whispered, his voice barely audible.
"You are under arrest for federal securities fraud, wire fraud, and corporate espionage," the agent said, pulling a pair of steel handcuffs from his belt. "You have the right to remain silent."
