Chapter 4 - The Corporate Takeover
The next morning, Marcus Mitchell walked into the headquarters of Mitchell Holdings. He wore a crisp black suit, a black tie, and an expression of somber dignity. Employees bowed their heads as he passed, offering muted condolences.
He called an emergency meeting of the Board of Directors for 10:00 a.m.
As the board members took their seats, many of them longtime friends of Sarah’s late father, Marcus took his place at the head of the table.
"Thank you all for coming on such a devastating day," Marcus began, his voice cracking with practiced emotion. "As you know, my beloved Sarah and our unborn daughter are still missing. The authorities have informed me that the chances of recovery are... non-existent."
An elderly board member, Arthur Pendelton, sighed deeply. "It is a tragedy, Marcus. Arthur would be heartbroken. But what does this mean for the upcoming vote on the clean energy merger?"
Marcus wiped a fake tear from his eye. "Sarah would want us to move forward. She loved this company. According to our legal bylaws and her father’s estate structure, her voting shares temporarily transfer to me as her surviving spouse in the event of an incapacitation or disappearance. I intend to exercise those votes today to ratify the merger."
Suddenly, the large smart-screen at the front of the boardroom flickered.
Marcus blinked, confused. "Is there a tech issue?"
The screen didn't show the merger slides. Instead, it displayed a live document feed—a series of wire transfers showing millions of dollars moving from Mitchell Holdings’ corporate reserve directly into a shell company owned by Chloe Vance.
The boardroom erupted into whispers.
"What is the meaning of this?" Marcus shouted, slamming his hands on the table. "Who authorized this feed?"
Before anyone could answer, the heavy double doors of the boardroom swung open. Detective Hayes walked in, flanked by four uniformed officers.
"Marcus Mitchell," Hayes announced, her voice echoing off the glass walls. "You are under arrest for grand larceny, corporate embezzlement, and conspiracy."
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Marcus laughed, though a bead of sweat broke out on his forehead. "This is absurd! My wife just died last night! This is harassment!"
"We aren't here about your wife yet, Marcus," Hayes smiled coldly, clicking a pair of handcuffs. "But trust me, we’ll get to her very soon."
