Chapter 3 - The Ghost Investor
The paramedic, an experienced woman named Sarah, lifted me gently with the help of one of the security guards. ""She needs a hospital right now, Mr. Vance. Her lung sounds are crackling. It’s acute bacterial pneumonia.""
""Take her directly to St. Jude’s Private Wing,"" Arthur Vance commanded. ""Dr. Bradley is already waiting. Her suite is secured.""
""Wait!"" Marjorie barked, stepping into the pathway as the guards carried me toward the door. ""You cannot just walk out of here! Daniel is the master of this house! Daniel, call the police! They are kidnapping your wife!""
Arthur stopped directly in front of Marjorie. He stood nearly a foot taller than her, his presence exuding the weight of forty years in federal courtrooms.
""Mrs. Hayes,"" Arthur said, taking off his glasses and wiping them with a silk handkerchief. ""If you take one more step toward Mrs. Claire Hart, I will have the officers standing at that gate detain you for felony battery of a vulnerable adult under California Penal Code 243(d).""
Marjorie’s face puffed up like a toad. ""Battery?! I poured water on her! She was faking a fever to ruin my party!""
Arthur held up a sleek digital tablet.
On the screen was a live video recording. The hidden cameras I had installed three months ago had captured the entire incident in 4K resolution with spatial audio: Marjorie lifting the heavy bucket, Daniel leaning against the doorframe sipping his cabernet, Marjorie shouting 'Stop pretending, you disrespectful bitch! Get up and cook!' followed by the laughter of his cousins as I crawled through the doorway.
Marjorie’s breath caught in her throat. Her wrinkled cheeks turned from purple to gray.
""This video was uploaded directly to our cloud servers five minutes ago,"" Arthur said pleasantly. ""The district attorney has already reviewed the footage to issue an emergency restraining order. But that’s the least of your concerns tonight, Marjorie.""
Arthur turned back to Daniel, who remained on his knees, staring blankly at the marble tiles.
""Mr. Hayes, as the managing attorney representing Sovereign Crest Global Fund, I am here to formally serve you with Notice of Default and Material Breach of Contract.""
Daniel began to hyperventilate. ""No... no, please, Arthur. Sovereign Crest gave us until next year on the subordinated convertible notes! We are meeting our milestones! The high-rise project downtown—""
""The downtown high-rise project,"" Arthur interrupted, ""from which you diverted 1.4 million dollars of construction escrow into your personal offshore account in Nevis? The same project where you used uncertified steel rebar to pocket the price differential?""
The room went dead silent. Daniel’s brother, Greg, who was the head of procurement for the company, stumbled backward, knocking over a display pedestal.
""How... how do you know about Nevis?"" Daniel choked out, his voice reduced to a thin squeak.
""Because Sovereign Crest audits every single penny you touch,"" Arthur said, pulling a second thick document from his briefcase. ""And because the sole beneficiary, majority shareholder, and managing director of Sovereign Crest is the woman you left to freeze on this floor.""
The words didn't register at first.
Marjorie let out a shrill, nervous laugh. ""What? Claire?! That girl doesn't have two nickels to rub together! Her father was an auto mechanic!""
""Her father was an auto mechanic who owned ninety-four auto parts distribution hubs across North America before selling to private equity,"" Arthur countered sharply. ""Claire Hart inherited eighty million dollars on her twenty-fifth birthday. Every crane, every truck, every square foot of office space Daniel Hayes has touched for the last four years was bought with Claire’s money.""
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Arthur stepped past Marjorie, leaning down until his eyes were level with Daniel's.
""You didn't marry a servant, Daniel. You married your employer. And your employment has just been terminated.""
