Chapter 6 - The Fall of Victor RomanoVictor Romano’s hands trembled violently against the edge of the mahogany table. Sweat broke out along his hairline, cutting clean tracks through his powder-dusted forehead.
"Adrian..." Victor rasped out, trying frantically to summon his usual arrogant authority. "You're confused... Claire Bennett was a simple housekeeper... she lied to you—"
"Claire Bennett was a forensic auditor for the Federal Reserve, Victor," Maya Reyes stepped forward, opening her leather binder, dropping certified corporate audit logs flat onto the center of the conference table.
"And four hours ago," Maya declared cleanly, "the United States District Court unsealed a forty-two-count federal indictment charging Victor Romano and the Romano Banking Group with racketeering, wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit homicide."
The eight board members gasped, pulling out their tablets frantically as they read the live federal court filings.
Vanessa stumbled back against the glass wall, her hands flying up to cover her mouth as tears of pure, unadulterated horror spilled over her lashes. "Dad...?! What is she talking about?! Is this true?!"
Victor didn't answer. He collapsed back into his leather chair, his chest heaving in wild, shallow gasps as forty years of crime, corruption, and manipulation smashed into his chest like an iron bar.
I looked down at the billionaire who had spent four years threatening my daughter's life.
"You thought because I kept the peace in New York, I was weak, Victor," I spoke softly, my voice smooth, quiet, and razor-sharp. "You used my own house to hide my daughter from me. Today... every asset, every account, and every deed under your name is frozen forever."
Special Agent Marcus Sterling of the FBI stepped through the double doors, holding a set of heavy steel handcuffs.
"Victor Romano," Agent Sterling declared cleanly, "you are under arrest by order of the United States Government."
Heavy steel cuffs clicked around Victor's manicured wrists as two federal agents pulled his crying, broken body out of the executive chair, dragging him out through the side holding doors toward the prison transport vans.
Vanessa collapsed onto her knees on the rug, sobbing hysterically as her engagement ring was removed by federal receivers as corporate collateral.
May you like
I didn't look back at them.
I turned on my heel, holding four-year-old Lily tight against my chest, and walked out into the bright afternoon sunlight, leaving the dark empire of lies behind us forever.
