Chapter 5 - The Snake Enters.
At exactly eight o'clock that evening, a sleek black luxury car pulled up to the front gates of the Carter estate.
Richard stepped out, wearing a sharp designer suit and carrying a heavy leather briefcase that held the company's financial records.
David personally escorted him through the grand foyer, maintaining a perfectly blank, professional expression to avoid raising any suspicion.
"Mark is waiting for you in his private study, sir," David said, opening the heavy oak doors for the traitor.
Mark was sitting behind his massive desk, holding a glass of whiskey and pretending to look completely defeated and exhausted.
"Richard, thank God you are here. I do not know how I am going to survive this nightmare," Mark said, playing his desperate role flawlessly.
Richard sat down in the leather chair opposite the desk, a fake, sympathetic smile plastered across his face.
"We will get through this, Mark. You just need to sign a few emergency documents to freeze Victoria's access to the company accounts," Richard lied smoothly.
Richard opened his briefcase and slid a stack of legal papers across the polished wooden desk.
Mark glanced at the papers, immediately recognizing them as the final authorization forms needed to cash out his own massive life insurance policy.
Richard was trying to trick Mark into signing his own death warrant right there in the study.
"These documents look very complicated, Richard. Are you absolutely sure this is just to freeze the accounts?" Mark asked, staring directly into Richard's eyes.
Richard did not even blink, his expression remaining completely stoic as he nodded his head.
"Yes, Mark. I had the legal team draft them this afternoon. Just sign on the dotted line, and I will handle the rest," Richard urged quietly.
Suddenly, the doors to the study flew open, and David marched into the room with his hand resting firmly on his holstered weapon.
Elena followed closely behind him, holding the punctured container of poisoned baby formula and glaring at Richard with pure disgust.
"You are a terrible liar, Richard," Mark said, his voice dropping the desperate act and turning completely ice-cold.
Richard froze, his fake smile instantly vanishing as he realized he had walked directly into a well-planned trap.
He jumped out of his chair and reached inside his jacket, but David was incredibly fast.
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David tackled the corrupt executive to the floor, pinning his arms behind his back and pulling a loaded silver pistol from Richard's inside pocket.
"You are going to prison for a very long time, Richard, right next to that monster you helped," Mark declared fiercely.
