Chapter 5 - THE SHADOW OF VANCEA man who thinks he can hide behind offshore shell companies forgets that light shines brightest when you burn the entire forest down.
Three weeks later.
The news had swept through the financial and defense technology sectors like a wildfire.
VANCE CYBERNETICS SHARES PLUMMET 68% FOLLOWING FEDERAL INDICTMENT OF CEO MARCUS VANCE AND FORMER AUREON SHIELD VP RYAN BENNETT.
In a private visiting room at the Santa Clara County Detention Facility, Ryan Bennett sat behind a thick pane of plexiglass, wearing an orange jumpsuit that hung loosely off his gaunt frame.
His hair was unwashed; his eyes were hollowed out by fear, lack of sleep, and the brutal reality of federal holding cells.
On the other side of the glass sat Sarah Sterling—a sharp, elderly family law attorney hired by Victoria to handle the final dissolution of marriage proceedings.
“She won't come to see me?” Ryan asked, his voice raspy through the small steel speaker. “Not even once?”
“Mrs. Bennett sees no purpose in a personal meeting, Mr. Bennett,” Sarah said dryly, opening a thin manila folder. “I have brought the final marital settlement agreement for your signature.”
Ryan let out a bitter, raspy laugh. “Settlement agreement? What settlement? I have nothing left! My bank accounts are locked! My car was seized! My reputation is gone!”
“You have your freedom to bargain for, Mr. Bennett,” Sarah noted calmly, pointing her gold pen at the document. “Under the terms of this agreement, you surrender any and all claims to marital assets, real estate property, corporate equity, and spousal support. In exchange, Mrs. Bennett’s legal team will notify the federal prosecutor that she will not seek civil restitution damages against you personally in the corporate fraud suit.”
Ryan stared through the glass. “And if I don't sign?”
“If you don't sign,” Sarah replied smoothly, “Mrs. Bennett will pursue a civil judgment against you for four point two million dollars. Which means that when your federal prison sentence concludes in five to seven years, you will emerge into the world with a permanent financial judgment that will follow you until the day you die.”
Ryan’s hands shook as he reached for the cheap plastic pen attached to his side of the counter.
“What about Madison?” Ryan whispered, looking down at the white paper. “Where is she?”
Sarah Sterling permitted herself a small, icy smile. “Miss Reed was named as a co-conspirator in the grand larceny investigation. All assets purchased with laundered Aureon Shield funds—including her apartment lease, her designer accessories, and her social media production company—were seized by federal marshals on Tuesday. I believe she is currently working as a junior receptionist at a car rental agency in Fresno.”
Ryan signed his name on the line with a trembling hand.
May you like
Ryan A. Bennett.
The signature looked small, shaky, and faint—the mark of a man who had traded his entire life for seven months of cheap vanity and had ended up with zero.
