Chapter 6 - The Visitor in Room 4B
By Thursday afternoon, the high-rise glass corridor outside Area A-1 Precinct had quieted down, but the storm inside the Massachusetts court system was just gathering momentum.
Julian sat in a small, windowless consultation room on the fourth floor of the Suffolk County House of Correction. He wore a faded orange jumpsuit that was two sizes too large for his frame, making his shoulders look stooped and hollow. The manicured hands that had spent eleven years gesturing dramatically at venture capital summits were now raw, chapped, and trembling against the cold metal surface of the table.
Across from him sat his criminal defense attorney, Arthur Vance—no relation to my family, merely an expensive high-stakes litigator Julian had hired using his remaining credit lines before his personal accounts were frozen.
The heavy steel door unlocked with a loud, mechanical CLACK.
Julian jumped slightly in his chair, his head snapping toward the door, his bloodshot eyes widening with a sudden, desperate flare of hope. "Audrey?"
It wasn't me.
Margaret Sloan walked into the room, wearing a dark navy wool coat, carrying a thin, crimson-bound legal folder under her arm. Behind her stood two uniformed sheriff’s deputies, who took positions beside the door.
Julian’s face fell instantly, his hope rotting into bitter, childish rage. "What are you doing here, Margaret? Did Audrey send you to gloat?"
"Mrs. Vance-Miller does not have the time to gloat, Julian," Margaret said calmly, pulling out a chair and sitting opposite him. She didn't bother opening her coat. She set the crimson folder flat on the table, resting her hands over it. "She is currently presiding over Aurelia’s Q4 shareholder strategy session."
Julian let out a bitter, raspy laugh. "Strategy session? She’s a housewife! She doesn't know the first thing about running a tech firm! The board will eat her alive within a month!"
"The board just unanimously approved her five-year growth plan, Julian," Margaret corrected, her tone as dry as bone. "And Aurelia’s stock opened up fourteen percent this morning following the announcement of the Series-9 defense protocol."
Julian’s jaw twitched. He swallowed hard, his eyes darting toward his attorney, then back to the crimson folder. "Why are you here, Margaret?"
Margaret slid the folder across the table.
"This is an unconditional, full disclosure agreement," Margaret explained clinically. "In exchange for your signature on the absolute waiver of all marital claims, property rights, and corporate equity, Mrs. Vance-Miller has agreed not to pursue secondary civil damages regarding the unauthorized liquidation of her mother’s heirloom jewelry."
Julian’s attorney reached out, grabbing the folder before Julian could touch it. "Absolute waiver? That’s absurd, Ms. Sloan. My client has eleven years of marital contributions to the Arthur Vance estate—"
"Your client has eleven years of documented corporate fraud, wire embezzlement, and grand larceny," Margaret interrupted, leaning forward slightly, her gaze locking onto Julian's pale face. "The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts added three counts of federal tax evasion to your indictment at noon today. If this goes to trial, Julian, you are looking at twelve to fifteen years in a federal penitentiary."
Julian stared at the red folder, his breath coming in shallow, ragged hitches. "What about Camilla?" he rasped, his voice barely a whisper. "What is Audrey doing to Camilla?"
Margaret offered a cold, razor-thin smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"Miss Price’s legal counsel signed a full cooperation agreement with the District Attorney two hours ago," Margaret revealed softly. "She has agreed to testify against you on all counts of corporate embezzlement in exchange for a suspended sentence and full asset surrender."
Julian went completely still. The color drained from his lips until he looked like a corpse sitting in the fluorescent light.
"She... she blamed me?" Julian choked out.
May you like
"She gave them every text message, every email, and every wire confirmation you ever sent her," Margaret said, standing up and buttoning her coat. "You built your kingdom on disloyalty, Julian. You shouldn't be surprised when it burns down the same way."
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