Chapter 6 - The Trap Collapses
Vanessa froze, her hand hovering in the air. "What... what did you just say?"
Daniel signaled to Grace.
Grace stepped forward, opened her black briefcase, pulled out a portable high-definition speaker, and set it directly in the center of the mahogany boardroom table. She tapped a button on her phone.
The room filled with crystal-clear audio:
"Did you get the original papers out of his safe?" Richard’s voice echoed loudly off the glass walls.
"I spent two hours trying to open it... But it doesn't matter. If we present the modified merger papers tomorrow during the emergency board meeting, he’ll sign them without question..."
"Play the devoted fiancée for another two months until the transfer clears... Then file for divorce on the grounds of mental incapacity. You’ll walk away with the lake house, thirty percent of his stock, and eleven million in cash."
The recording ended.
The boardroom was completely frozen. Arthur Pendelton and the other board members stared at Richard and Vanessa with expressions of absolute disgust and fury.
Richard Vance sank into a chair, his face grey, his hands trembling so violently he couldn't even close his leather folder.
Vanessa’s face transformed instantly. The delicate, tearful persona vanished, replaced by a bitter, vicious sneer.
"You tricked me!" Vanessa shrieked, pointing an acrylic nail at Daniel. "You pretended to be hurt! You pretended to fall on those stairs!"
"I did fall, Vanessa," Daniel replied calmly, leaning his hands on the back of his chair. "The difference is, when I hit the floor, I stayed still to see who would run to save me, and who would run to check my bank account."
He gestured toward the two police detectives standing by the door.
"Detective Miller, these two individuals have attempted corporate wire fraud, embezzlement, forgery, and grand larceny totaling twenty-two million dollars," Daniel stated clearly.
The lead detective stepped forward, pulling two pairs of steel handcuffs from his belt. "Richard Vance, Vanessa Cole, you are under arrest for conspiracy to commit grand larceny and corporate fraud. You have the right to remain silent."
"Daniel, no! Please!" Vanessa screamed as the detective grabbed her wrists, snapping the handcuffs shut. "I love you! I was just confused! Richard manipulated me! It was all his idea!"
"Save it for the prosecutor, Vanessa," Daniel said without looking at her as she was escorted screaming and weeping out of the boardroom.
When the room fell quiet again, Arthur Pendelton stood up and clapped Daniel on the shoulder. "Good God, Daniel. That was brilliant. How did you get that recording?"
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Daniel looked over at Grace, who was quietly packing her laptop back into her briefcase near the door.
"I didn't do it alone, Arthur," Daniel said softly, his voice full of deep, genuine respect. "I had the best partner in the world."
