Chapter 7 - The Downfall
Before Liam could utter another pathetic plea, the heavy doors of the ballroom burst open again. This time, it was not private syndicate operatives who entered, but a dozen tactical officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and federal fraud investigators, led by Chief Inspector Miller.
Liam’s eyes lit up with desperate, delusional hope. ""Inspector! Over here! Arrest them! Arrest Calloway! He's threatening me! And arrest that woman—she's the one who signed the clearance manifests!""
Inspector Miller walked briskly across the floor, completely bypassing Julian and Wren. He stopped directly in front of Liam Vance, pulled a thick sheaf of federal arrest warrants from his coat, and slapped them against Liam’s chest.
""Liam Vance,"" the Inspector announced in a booming voice that echoed over the reporters' rapid camera shutters. ""You are under arrest for corporate fraud, electronic forgery, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and aggravated assault causing severe bodily harm.""
""What?!"" Liam shrieked, backing away into the arms of two burly federal officers who immediately twisted his arms behind his back, snapping heavy steel handcuffs around his wrists. ""Are you blind?! She signed the documents! Wren Sterling signed them!""
Wren stepped forward calmly, drawing an authentic leather-bound ledger from Marcus’s hands and holding it out to Inspector Miller.
""Inspector,"" Wren said smoothly, ""here is the verified cryptographic forensic audit. As you can see by the server timestamps, my digital token was accessed remotely from Liam Vance's private IP terminal while I was hospitalized at Vancouver General. Furthermore, here is the complete chain of custody for the offshore bank accounts he created using dummy corporations in Panama.""
Inspector Miller took the documents, reviewed the top sheet, and nodded with immense professional respect. ""Thank you, Miss Sterling. Your cooperation and comprehensive audit trail have dismantled the largest money laundering syndicate on the West Coast. You are completely exonerated of all suspicion.""
Liam thrashed against the officers' iron grip, his hair wild, his tie torn, saliva flying from his lips as he realized his life was utterly, irrevocably over. He had no money, no merger, no freedom, and worse—the cartel whose shipment had been seized would ensure he never survived his first week in federal custody.
As the officers dragged him toward the exit, Liam caught Wren’s eye. ""Wren! Please! You loved me! Tell them! Tell them it was a mistake! Don't let Julian do this to me!""
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Wren didn't flinch. Her gaze was as cold as Arctic ice. ""You told me in that alley that nobody would ever care what happened to an expendable girl with no family, Liam. You were wrong. Now enjoy your cage.""
The crowd erupted into applause and frantic murmurs as the disgraced financier was dragged out into the flashing red-and-blue lights of the waiting police cruisers. The ballroom had become Wren’s stage, and she had won without firing a single bullet.
