Chapter 2: The Snake in the Boardroom
Chapter 2: The Snake in the Boardroom
The 50th floor boardroom offered a panoramic view of the city skyline, but the atmosphere inside was suffocating. Twelve board members sat around a mahogany table. At the head of the table sat Arthur Vance, Evelyn’s uncle and Chloe’s father. He looked smug, convinced that his secret alliance with a rival banking cartel would finally allow him to hostilely take over Apex Vanguard today.
The heavy double doors swung open.
Evelyn walked in, still wearing her faded jeans and simple white sneakers. Richard Sterling followed behind her like a loyal shadow, carrying her canvas bag as if it were the crown jewels.
Arthur laughed out loud. "What is the meaning of this, Richard? Why are you bringing my brother’s stray daughter into a classified board meeting? Security!"
"Sit down, Arthur," Evelyn said. She didn't go to a side chair; she walked straight to the center executive throne—the seat Arthur had been eyeing for months. She pulled it out and sat down, crossing her legs.
"Get out of that chair, you little brat!" Arthur roared, slamming his hands on the table.
"This chair belongs to the Chairwoman," Evelyn replied, throwing her canvas bag onto the polished wood. The heavy thud made everyone flinch. She opened it and pulled out a stack of financial documents, tossing them across the table. They landed right in front of Arthur. "And currently, that is me. As well as the person who holds the warrant for your arrest."
Arthur’s face turned from red to a ghostly pale as he looked at the documents. They were transaction receipts from a hidden Swiss account, showing that Arthur had accepted a $500 million bribe from "Genesis Corp"—their biggest competitor—to sabotage Apex Vanguard’s stock.
"This... this is a forgery!" Arthur shouted, looking at the other board members for support. But the other members, seeing the official seals of the Federal Banking Commission, quickly distanced themselves.
"It’s not a forgery, Uncle," Evelyn smiled, a dangerous, sharp smile. "You thought by hiding behind shell companies in the Cayman Islands, I wouldn't find out. But you forgot one thing: my father built those legal systems. He taught me how to break them."
Suddenly, the boardroom doors opened again, and two FBI agents in trench coats walked in.
"Arthur Vance?" the leading agent asked. "You are under arrest for corporate espionage, insider trading, and the suspected murder of Charles Vance."
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The room erupted into chaos. Arthur tried to run, but the agents quickly tackled him to the ground, handcuffing him in front of his peers. As he was dragged out, he screamed, "You won't get away with this, Evelyn! Genesis Corp will destroy you! The bank is already bankrupt!"
Evelyn watched him leave, her expression grim. She knew Arthur was right about one thing: Genesis Corp had already launched their final attack.
