Chapter 6 - The Confession
Inside the secure operations room at the foot of Pier 14, the silver briefcase sat open on a steel table. Inside were stacks of certified bonds, bearer shares, and two encrypted solid-state drives containing the complete records of the Vance-Hayes conspiracy.
David sat handcuffed to an industrial iron chair, his hair plastered to his forehead with sweat and rain. Across the table, Audrey stood calmly, looking down at the man she had spent six years honoring.
"Audrey, baby, you have to help me," David pleaded, his voice breaking into pathetic sobs. "Vale is going to kill me. You know what he does to people! You can't let him do this to your husband!"
"My husband died the moment I opened that bedroom door yesterday afternoon," Audrey said coldly, her arms crossed over her chest. "The man sitting in front of me is an embezzler, a forger, and a parasite who tried to send me to prison to finance his getaway."
"I was doing it for us!" David yelled, straining against the cuffs until the metal bit into his skin. "Our savings were wiped out after the last failed fertility cycle! The clinic bills, the mortgage, the pressure—I couldn't breathe, Audrey! Vance offered me two million dollars to fudge the inspection reports. I was going to take the money, get us away from Baltimore, and start fresh!"
Audrey felt a cold fury settle behind her eyes. "You brought another woman into our home, David. You had her lying on the sheets my mother gave us. Don't you dare use our lost children to justify your disgusting greed."
David slumped back, his excuses completely shattered.
The door opened, and Roman Vale stepped into the room. He didn't raise his voice. He didn't draw a weapon. He merely walked up behind Audrey and placed a steady, possessive hand on her shoulder. The gesture was deliberate, protective, and an unmistakable declaration of allegiance.
David stared at Roman's hand on his wife's shoulder, realization dawning on his face with crushing finality. "You... you're sleeping with him."
"I don't sleep with criminals, David," Audrey said with venomous calm. "I work with professionals. Roman Vale came to my door to collect a debt. I helped him collect it. And in return, he gave me something you never could."
"What?" David spit out. "Money? Power?"
"Respect," Audrey replied simply.
Roman stepped forward, tossing a single pen onto the steel table in front of David. "You will sign the confession detailing Vance’s extortion scheme. You will sign the full quitclaim deed surrendering every legal claim to the Hayes residence and company assets. And you will sign the uncontested divorce papers sitting in that folder."
David looked up at Roman with pure hatred. "And if I refuse?"
May you like
Roman leaned down until his eyes were level with David's. "If you refuse, I hand you over to the Maryland State Police right now with Vance’s ledger in your pocket. Vance’s associates inside the state penitentiary will have twenty-four hours to make sure you never testify. Sign the papers, and you serve five years in a minimum-security federal camp for financial fraud. Choose."
David's trembling hand reached for the pen.
