Chapter 7 - THE TRAP
"Don't worry about the room," Julian told the doctor, pulling out a black Amex card. "Move her to the private wing under the Vance corporate account. Do it now."
As the doctor scurried away, Julian turned to me. "Marcus thinks he has the upper hand because he can threaten your mother. We are going to use that arrogance against him."
The plan was dangerous, but simple. Marcus was embezzling company funds to cover his failed personal investments—that’s why he was so desperate to tank the Weber deal and take over the company. Julian knew the offshore accounts existed, but he needed Marcus’s personal laptop to prove it.
"Marcus always leaves his laptop in his office safe when he goes to his country club on Thursday nights," Julian explained as we drove back to the Vance Global tower. "But his thumbprint is the only way to open the safe."
"How do we get it?"
"We don't. We make him open it for us."
At 8:00 PM, I walked back into the empty executive floor of Vance Global. Julian was waiting in the security control room, overriding the cameras.
I walked into Marcus’s darkened office and picked up the landline, dialing his cell.
"Hello?" Marcus answered, sounding irritated.
"It's Mia," I said, making my voice shake. "You win. I'll leave. I'll take Leo and disappear again. But I need money. The fifty thousand you promised me twelve years ago."
Silence on the line. Then, a low chuckle. "Smart girl. But why would I pay you when I can just have you arrested?"
"Because I took the Weber contract from Julian’s desk," I lied smoothly. "I have it. If you want it shredded before the board sees it tomorrow, you come to your office right now and pay me from your private safe."
"Don't move," Marcus snapped.
Twenty minutes later, the office door flew open. Marcus stormed in, looking manic. "Where is it?"
"Open the safe first," I said, standing my ground.
Marcus sneered, marching to the painting on the wall, swinging it open, and pressing his thumb to the digital pad. The heavy steel door clicked open. He reached inside, grabbing his laptop and a stack of banded cash.
"Here's the cash, you little rat," he said, turning around. "Now give me the contract."
"She doesn't have it," a voice said from the doorway.
Marcus froze. Julian stood there, flanked by two armed corporate security guards.
"Julian," Marcus stammered, dropping the cash. "What is this?"
"This is the end, Marcus," Julian said, his voice deadly calm. "Security, take his laptop. The board’s auditors are waiting downstairs to review his offshore transfers."
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Marcus looked trapped, his eyes darting wildly. Suddenly, he lunged across the desk, grabbing the heavy bronze letter opener, and grabbed my arm, yanking me against his chest with the blade at my throat.
"Back off!" Marcus screamed, completely unhinged. "Or I swear to God, I'll finish what I started twelve years ago!"
