Chapter 5 - The Counterstrike
The absolute authority that radiated from Owen Faulkner as he stood to his full height silenced the entire auditorium within three seconds.
“Are you finished, Arthur?” Owen asked, his voice cutting through the silence like a winter wind.
Montgomery swallowed nervously, surprised that Owen hadn't collapsed. “The... the motion stands, Owen. The medical records we obtained—”
“—Were obtained illegally through a breach of HIPAA laws by a private detective paid for by Julian Faulkner,” Owen interrupted smoothly, pulling a thin black leather folder from his jacket. “And while you were busy bribing hospital clerks, Arthur, my legal team was busy examining your personal offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands.”
Montgomery’s face instantly drained of all color.
Owen opened the folder and looked up at the board. “Three days ago, I authorized a forensic audit of the corporate acquisition division managed by Arthur Montgomery and Julian Faulkner. It appears that over the past four years, thirty-five million dollars of company funds were siphoned into shell companies registered to Mr. Montgomery’s brother-in-law.”
The board members looked at Montgomery in absolute shock.
“That’s a lie!” Julian screamed, dropping his compassionate persona entirely. “He’s making it up!”
“The federal wire transfers carry your digital signature, Julian,” Owen said coldly. “The FBI white-collar crime division was handed the complete dossier at eight o'clock this morning. I believe federal agents are currently waiting in the main lobby to escort both of you off the premises.”
As if on cue, the heavy double glass doors at the back of the auditorium opened. Four federal agents in sharp suits walked down the aisle toward the stage.
Panic erupted among Julian and Montgomery. Montgomery tried to gather his papers with shaking hands, while Julian stumbled backward, looking at Owen as if he were looking at a ghost.
“You... you knew?” Julian stammered, his voice breaking. “You set this up?”
“I didn't set anything up, Julian,” Owen said softly as the agents stepped onto the stage and placed hand-cuffs on Montgomery and Julian. “You built your own cage. I simply locked the door.”
As Julian was led past Owen, he stopped, his eyes burning with pathetic rage. “She’s still nothing!” Julian spat, glaring at Hannah. “Even if I go to prison, you’re going to die in a few months, Owen! And she will be an orphan all over again!”
Hannah stood up from her chair. She walked to the edge of the stage, standing right beside Owen.
She looked Julian straight in the eyes—no longer the terrified street child from the alley, but a Faulkner.
“He is my father,” Hannah said, her small voice echoing clearly through the open microphone on the podium. “And even if he goes to heaven, he will always be my father. You have all the money in the world, but you are the one who is starving.”
The auditorium went so quiet you could hear the rain falling outside.
Julian stared at the five-year-old girl, completely speechless, before the agents dragged him away into the waiting elevator.
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The shareholders sat in awe. Then, slowly, an elderly institutional investor in the third row stood up and began to clap. Within ten seconds, the entire auditorium erupted into a standing ovation, echoing off the high steel beams of Wall Street.
Owen looked down at Hannah. He didn't care about the shareholders, the stock price, or the victory over his corrupt family. He simply reached down, picked up his daughter, and held her close to his heart.
