Chapter 5 - Stripped of Power
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Julian stood frozen in the corner of the boardroom, his chest heaving as beads of cold sweat broke out across his forehead.
Adrian pulled out the master leather chair at the head of the table and sat down with effortless elegance.
He rested his elbows on the mahogany surface and steepled his fingers, staring down the terrified directors one by one.
"For the past three months, someone has been systematically siphoning funds from our maritime logistics accounts," Adrian stated coldly.
One of the federal agents stepped forward, placing a thick dossier of red-stamped bank statements directly in the center of the table.
"Over sixty-four million dollars was funneled into shell corporations registered in the Cayman Islands under the name of Julian Blackwood."
The elderly board members gasped in outrage, frantically turning through the pages of undeniable financial evidence.
"This is a setup!" Julian shouted, his voice cracking hysterically as he pointed an accusing finger at Adrian.
"He forged those documents to frame me because he was jealous of my relationship with Vanessa!"
"The signatures on these international wire transfers are backed by your personal biometric security key, Julian," the federal agent announced firmly.
Vanessa slowly pushed her chair back, attempting to slip toward the exit while everyone's attention was locked on Julian.
"Don't bother running toward the elevators, Vanessa," Adrian called out without even bothering to look in her direction.
She froze in place, her hand hovering over the brass handle of the conference door.
"Your father's company has already been informed of your secret financial transactions," Adrian said, turning his cold gaze upon her.
"He revoked your family trust fund thirty minutes ago to save his own firm from complete bankruptcy."
Vanessa’s face turned an ashen shade of gray as the brutal reality of her ruined social standing crashed down upon her.
"Adrian, please, you have to listen to me," she begged, rushing back toward his side with desperation in her eyes.
"Julian manipulated me! He threatened to ruin my family if I didn't help him keep you confined to that wheelchair!"
Adrian looked at her with an expression of pure, unadulterated disgust that made her shrink into herself.
"You stood behind my chair last night and pushed it toward a flight of stone stairs, Vanessa."
The entire boardroom gasped in horror at the revelation of attempted murder against their legitimate chairman.
"You watched me struggle for seven months and treated me like trash because you thought I had lost my fortune."
Adrian signaled to the uniformed officers waiting near the door with a slight nod of his head.
"Take both of them out of my sight before I decide to handle this matter outside of the courtroom."
Julian screamed obscenities as the officers twisted his arms behind his back and snapped cold metal handcuffs onto his wrists.
Vanessa sobbed uncontrollably as she was escorted out, her mascara running down her cheeks under the flashing cameras of the arriving press.
May you like
Adrian watched them leave without a single flicker of pity in his heart, but his thoughts were already drifting elsewhere.
He did not care about the millions he had saved or the empire he had secured; his mind was entirely consumed by Emma.
