Chapter 3 - The Boardroom ExecutionBy 9:00 AM the following morning, the private executive conference room on the top floor of the Moretti Logistics Tower on Michigan Avenue was in complete, chaotic ruin.
Twelve senior syndicate bosses, casino owners, and board directors sat around a long mahogany table, shouting angrily over each other while reviewing emergency news broadcasts on the sixty-inch media wall.
Sitting at the head of the table was Vincent Moretti.
He looked completely undone. His dark suit was rumpled, dark purple circles carved deep beneath his hollow eyes, his hair messy, his hands shaking as he poured his third double shot of espresso.
On the table in front of him sat the empty, shattered glass from the Lake Forest wedding frame.
The yellowed toxicology report and the blackmail agreement were gone. Claire had taken the originals with her.
"What the hell is going on, Vincent?!" the oldest board director, Marco Rossi, roared, slamming his fist flat against the mahogany. "Your wife filed for divorce in New York this morning! The press is calling our shipping offices asking if you're involved in a domestic scandal!"
"She's not going to ruin us, Marco!" Vincent spat, his voice raspy and desperate. "I have my legal team filing an emergency injunction to block her petition!"
The heavy glass double doors of the boardroom were pushed open.
Arthur Sterling stepped into the room, flanked by two federal process servers and three armed private security guards.
The twelve syndicate bosses froze in their seats, their hands reaching instinctively toward their jackets.
"Gentlemen," Arthur Sterling announced cleanly, his baritone voice echoing through the silent room. "I am Arthur Sterling, representing Mrs. Claire Bennett-Moretti."
Vincent stood up so fast his leather armchair knocked against the glass wall. "Arthur! Where is my wife?! Where is Claire?!"
Arthur pulled a leather binder from his briefcase, dropping three certified court documents flat onto the center of the mahogany table.
"Mrs. Moretti is currently in New York City, Mr. Moretti," Arthur revealed smoothly. "Assuming her new role as Executive Vice President of Global Logistics at Hayes Enterprises."
Vincent gasped, his blood running cold. "Alexander Hayes...?! She went to Alexander Hayes?!"
"And furthermore," Arthur continued, tapping the leather binder, "Mrs. Moretti has executed her legal right under Illinois marital property laws to freeze fifty percent of all liquid casino reserves held under your joint marital trust."
The twelve board directors jumped up from their chairs, shouting in wild fury:
"Fifty percent of the casino reserves?!"
"That's sixty million dollars!"
"Vincent, you idiot! What did you do to your wife?!"
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Vincent stumbled back against the glass wall, sweating profusely, tears of pure, frantic panic welling in his eyes as he looked at the empty seat beside him.
"Claire..." Vincent whimpered, his hands shaking violently as he pulled out his phone, dialing her number for the hundredth time, only to hear the cold, automated voice: The number you have dialed is no longer in service.
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