Chapter 11
Marcus strode across the Persian rug and picked up the heavy black receiver on the second ring. "Go ahead," he said firmly, his eyes narrowing as he listened to the voice on the other end of the secure line.
Valeria set her coffee cup down on the wooden side table, her nerves instantly tensing up again. The quiet sanctuary of the study felt suddenly fragile, as if the ghosts of Julian’s deceit were still lingering just outside the door.
Marcus listened in silence for nearly a full minute, nodding slowly before offering a terse reply. "Understood. Keep him isolated until morning, and make sure the federal marshals verify the transfer protocols." He hung up the phone with a heavy click.
Arthur leaned forward, his hands resting on his silver-handled cane. "What is it, Marcus? Did Julian try to recant his statement?"
Marcus let out a low, breathy sigh, running a hand through his thinning dark hair. "Worse. Julian didn't try to recant. When the intake officers searched his personal belongings during booking, they found a secondary encrypted flash drive hidden inside the lining of his suit jacket—the very suit jacket he was wearing when we confronted him at the restaurant."
Valeria’s blood ran cold. She stood up from the wing chair, stepping closer to the desk. "A secondary drive? What’s on it?"
"It’s not just financial data," Marcus said grimly, tapping the edge of the desk with his knuckles. "According to the preliminary decryption run by the cyber-crimes unit ten minutes ago, it contains a comprehensive digital dossier on every single executive at Vance Industries—including Arthur, his board members, and past legal partners. Julian wasn't just embezzling corporate funds; he was building a massive blackmail archive to use as leverage if anyone ever threatened to expose his illegal operations."
Arthur’s face darkened, a deep, dangerous anger flashing in his eyes. "The ungrateful bastard. After everything this family did to keep him out of prison over the years, he was weaponizing our own confidential corporate records against us."
"There’s more," Marcus added, his voice dropping to a serious, confidential whisper as he looked directly at Valeria. "Among the encrypted files on that drive, there is a specialized sub-folder labeled with your name, Valeria. It contains voice recordings, private emails, and extensive surveillance logs dating back over the entire course of your marriage."
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Valeria froze, the color draining entirely from her face. "Surveillance logs? He was spying on me?"
"Not just spying," Marcus said gravely. "The folder contains a series of audio files recorded inside your home office without your knowledge—audio files that prove Julian was actively sabotaging your career and personal relationships long before you ever filed for divorce."
