Chapter 6 - The Counterstrike
The boardroom remained dead silent as Everett stared down Richard Sterling. Instead of showing anger or panic, a cold, calculated smile formed on Everett’s lips.
He reached into his jacket pocket, pulled out an encrypted flash drive, and tossed it onto the middle of the conference table.
"Plug it in, Harold," Everett instructed calmly.
Harold stepped forward, inserted the drive into the boardroom presentation system, and pressed play. The massive 4K display at the front of the room illuminated, displaying a series of internal bank ledgers, offshore wire transfers, and confidential emails.
Richard Sterling’s smug expression instantly melted away as he recognized the document headers.
"What is the meaning of this?" Sterling demanded, standing up.
"That is the forensic audit of Sterling & Partners Trust Account," Everett explained, his voice echoing through the room. "Three years ago, when Miranda married me, she brought you on as her primary financial advisor. Over the last eighteen months, while Bryce Holland was racking up millions in illegal gambling debts in Macao, you were using your firm's escrow accounts to launder funds directly from Vance Global's charitable foundation to pay off his bookies."
Sterling’s face turned ash-grey. "That... those records are private!"
"They were private until two hours ago, when the Federal Reserve’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network flagged your offshore transfers," Everett said coldly. "You didn't come here today to defend Miranda, Sterling. You came here to force a $30 million settlement so you could cover the $12 million hole in your own firm's trust accounts before the federal auditors knock on your door."
The board members gasped, looking at Sterling with sheer disgust and terror.
At that exact moment, the heavy double doors of the boardroom swung open. Four federal agents wearing dark suits and badges walked into the room.
"Richard Sterling?" the lead agent announced. "You are under arrest for federal bank fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud."
Sterling backed away from the table, his hands trembling as the agents closed in on him, clicking steel handcuffs around his wrists in front of the entire board.
Everett walked up to Sterling, looking down at him with dark, unforgiving eyes. "Tell Miranda that her legal shield just collapsed. By noon, I am filing for full emergency sole guardianship and corporate takeover under federal crime victim protection laws."
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As Sterling was led out of the boardroom in cuffs, Everett turned back to the remaining board members.
"Now," Everett said, his voice hard as iron. "Let's talk about restoring our stock value."
