Chapter 12 - The Lobby Spectacle
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I stood on the glass mezzanine overlooking the high-ceilinged lobby of Mercer Development headquarters.
Below, a crowd of nearly fifty employees, security personnel, and news reporters had gathered in a large circle.
In the center stood Daniel Mercer.
He looked unhinged. His expensive navy suit was wrinkled and stained, his hair was messy, and dark purple circles bruised the skin beneath his hollow eyes. He was holding a crumpled piece of paper in his hand, waving it wildly at the two security officers holding him back.
“Call her down!” Daniel screamed, his voice cracking hysterically. “Call Claire down right now! She stole my company! She forged my signature! I built this empire!”
The reporters were recording everything on their smartphones, flashbulbs popping in steady rhythm.
I walked slowly down the grand marble staircase, my heels clicking sharply against the stone. The lobby fell instantly quiet as the crowd parted to let me through.
Daniel saw me coming, and his eyes burned with a dangerous, feral intensity.
“Claire!” he yelled, trying to break free from the guard's grip. “Tell these idiots to let me go! Tell them who I am!”
I stopped five feet away from him, keeping my hands lightly clasped in front of me.
“You are a former employee trespassing on private corporate property, Daniel,” I said, my voice carrying clearly through the silent space.
“You tricked me!” Daniel roared, spit flying from his lips. “You used legal trickery to strip me of my rights! That fourteen million was my performance compensation! I earned it!”
“You stole it,” I replied cleanly. “From a charitable trust established by my grandfather to fund pediatric cancer research units.”
A collective gasp echoed through the gathered crowd of employees. The reporters leaned in, their cameras capturing every word.
Daniel’s face flushed dark red. “You... you malicious bitch—”
“Mr. Mercer,” a firm, authoritative voice called out from the front entrance.
Three men in dark gray suits walked into the lobby, displaying gold badges clipped to their leather belts.
Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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The lead agent stepped up to Daniel, pulling a pair of steel handcuffs from his jacket.
“Daniel Mercer,” the agent announced loudly, “you are under arrest for federal wire fraud, bank fraud, and interstate transportation of stolen property.”
