Chapter 13 - Caught in the Act
|
Suddenly, the glowing screen flashed bright red.
ACCESS DENIED. ASSETS FROZEN BY FEDERAL ORDER.
Vanessa gasped, hitting the keyboard repeatedly in sheer panic. "No! No! Override command! Override!"
The doors to the server room slammed open with a deafening thud.
A dozen armed federal agents, clad in tactical gear bearing the letters FBI, poured into the room with weapons raised.
"Federal agents! Put your hands on your head! Step away from the terminal!" an officer shouted.
Vanessa backed away, her hands shaking as she bumped against the cold server racks. "This is a misunderstanding! I am the Chief Financial Officer! I was attempting to stop an unauthorized breach!"
From behind the line of tactical officers, Julian and Elena stepped into the server room.
Julian looked at Vanessa with absolute contempt. "The breach was you, Vanessa. It was always you."
"Julian, please!" Vanessa sobbed, her theatrical tears flowing instantly. "Elena framed me! She used my credentials! You have to believe me, Julian! I loved your family!"
"Save it for the judge, Vanessa," Elena said calmly, standing beside her husband. "The wire transfer request you just initiated was routed into a federal honeypot server. Every dollar you tried to steal has been secured and returned to the pension fund."
An agent stepped forward, pulling Vanessa’s arms behind her back and clicking steel handcuffs tightly around her manicured wrists.
May you like
As they marched Vanessa past Elena, the disgraced executive glared at her with pure, unadulterated venom. "You ruined everything!" Vanessa spat.
"You ruined yourself," Elena replied coldly.
