Chapter 8 - The Falling Dominos
The next morning, the legal landscape shifted with cataclysmic force. The digital files Marcus uploaded were authenticated by the FBI within hours. The evidence of premeditated murder, corporate espionage, and bribery was so overwhelming that the judge handling the case denied bail for everyone involved and ordered immediate federal intervention.
Ray Collins and his crew were intercepted by state troopers on the highway before they could even deliver the briefcase to Victor’s lawyers. Faced with federal racketeering charges, Collins cracked within thirty minutes of interrogation, turning state’s evidence against Victor Sterling.
By noon, the news broke globally.
“KINGSTON ENTERPRISES EXPOSES MURDER RING: Former Partner and Vance Family Facing Life in Prison.”
Marcus stood in his executive office, watching the news broadcast. The stock of Kingston Enterprises, which had plummeted after the wedding, was skyrocketing back to historic highs. The public now saw Marcus not as a fooled victim, but as a brilliant, resilient leader who had brought down a corrupt syndicate.
The door opened, and Clara entered, looking breathless. "Marcus, the defense lawyers for Beatrice and Evelyn Vance have just filed a petition for a plea bargain. They want to avoid the death penalty. Evelyn wants to speak to you. Personally. One last time."
Marcus turned around, looking out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the bustling city below. "Tell her lawyers the answer is no. I have nothing to say to her. The state will handle her sentence."
"Actually, Marcus," Julian said, entering the room with a somber expression. "I think you should go. Not for her sake. For closure. And because she needs to see exactly who defeated her."
May you like
Marcus was silent for a long moment. He looked at a framed photograph on his desk—a photo of him and his father when he was a boy. His father had trusted Victor, and it had ultimately cost him his peace, and perhaps his health.
"You’re right," Marcus said, tightening his tie. "Let’s end the story where it began."
