Chapter 12 - Unmasking the Puppeteer at the Annual Shareholder Gala
Daniel Reed’s eyes darted toward the exit stairs, but Mia stepped out from the landing, blocking his path. She held up her phone, the screen glowing brightly.
"You're on speaker with the Chief of Police and the Federal Strike Force, Mr. Reed," Mia said, her voice ringing with absolute authority. "Every word you’ve spoken for the last ten minutes has been recorded on the precinct’s master cloud server."
Reed’s patrician mask completely dissolved, revealing the snarl of a cornered predator.
"You think you’ve won, you miserable little busser?" Reed hissed, his eyes wild. "You think anyone is going to take the word of a dead chef's broke daughter over a twenty-year CFO? I built this company while Ethan was playing polo in Switzerland! His father was a sentimental fool who wanted to share profits with cooks and dishwashers! I took what belonged to me!"
"My father built this empire with love and hard work!" Mia retorted, taking a step toward him without an ounce of fear. "You're just a thief who hides behind poison because you never had an ounce of my father's talent!"
Reed snarled and raised the open lighter toward a pool of gasoline on the rug. "If I'm going down, we all burn together!"
Before Reed could drop the flame, Ethan lunged forward.
He caught Reed’s wrist in an unbreakable vise grip, twisting the older man's arm upward while driving his foot behind Reed’s heel. Reed hit the floor hard, the Zippo clattering harmlessly away across the damp tile where Mia instantly snuffed it out beneath her heavy work boot.
Ethan pinned Reed to the floor, his knee pressed firmly against the traitor's shoulder blade.
"My father trusted you, Daniel," Ethan whispered into his ear, his voice freezing with pure, cold disgust. "He considered you family. And you killed his best friend and tried to murder his son."
May you like
Sirens wailed in the streets outside.
Red and blue emergency strobes washed across the high ceiling of Bellweather, illuminating the grand dining room in flashing patriotic colors as the heavy front doors burst open and a dozen tactical officers flooded the building.
