Chapter 8 - The Counter-Strike
Ethan stood in the center of his bedroom, listening to the heavy front door click shut downstairs. Clara was gone.
Vanessa clapped her hands slowly. “Bravo. It’s like a soap opera. Now, pack a bag, Ethan. We’re moving you to a private psychiatric facility in the morning.”
Ethan didn't look at her. He bent down and retrieved Toby’s drawing from the trash can. He smoothed the crumpled edges.
Then, he started to laugh.
It started low and built into a dark, booming sound that made Vanessa step back.
“What’s so funny?” she demanded.
Ethan looked up, his eyes burning with a terrifying clarity.
“You think you’re the only one who records things in this house, Vanessa?”
Her face fell. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m the CEO of a tech company that builds security systems for the Department of Defense,” Ethan said, his voice dropping to a lethal calm. “Do you honestly think I don’t have audio-visual surveillance in my own study?”
Vanessa turned white.
“I have the entire conversation of you and Daniel conspiring to forge medical documents,” Ethan continued, taking a step toward her. “I have you admitting to the hostile takeover. I have Daniel admitting to fraud. The footage was uploaded to my private encrypted server the second you walked out of that room.”
“You’re bluffing,” she whispered, but her hands were shaking.
“Margaret,” Ethan called out.
The housekeeper appeared in the doorway, a triumphant smirk on her face. “Yes, Mr. Hale?”
“Call Marcus Sterling. Tell him I’m walking, I’m lucid, and I’m sending him a video file that will put Vanessa Cole and Dr. Daniel Mercer in federal prison for the next twenty years unless they resign from the board by midnight.”
Vanessa panicked. She lunged for Ethan, but he simply stepped aside, letting her stumble into the armchair.
“You have exactly ten minutes to get your things out of my house before I call the FBI,” Ethan said.
Vanessa looked around, realizing her empire of lies had just collapsed onto her own head. She scrambled past the guards and sprinted down the hallway.
Ethan turned to the window. Outside, the rain was pouring down.
May you like
He had saved his company. He had saved his wealth.
But as he looked at the crumpled drawing of the superhero in the wheelchair, he realized he had lost the only thing that actually mattered.
