Chapter 5 - The Red Screen
The glowing red word on the cracked tablet screen burned into Julian’s retina. Through the tinted glass of the observation slit, David’s face remained frozen in that horrific, vacant stare, his lips slightly parted as if he wanted to scream but had forgotten how. The word displayed on the screen was agonizingly simple, yet it dismantled every single truth Julian thought he knew about his family and the company they had built.
RUN.
Before Julian could process the warning, a heavy hand gripped his shoulder from behind, spinning him around with surprising force. It was Marcus, who had returned from the elevators accompanied by two burly men in identical gray security uniforms. Their faces were entirely expressionless, their heavy boots planted firmly on the marble tiles.
“Visitation’s over, Julian,” Marcus said, his tone dripping with smug satisfaction. He gestured to the two guards, who stepped forward, blocking access to the vault door. “Arthur has authorized your immediate removal from the premises pending an internal ethics investigation.”
Julian shoved Marcus’s hand off his shoulder, his eyes blazing with fury. He didn't bother looking back at Arthur. “You set him up,” Julian snarled, pointing a shaking finger toward the sealed vault room. “Henrik isn't just a consultant, is he? He was the one running the embezzlement scheme, and you used David as the scapegoat. What did you do to him in there, Arthur?”
Arthur stepped forward, his leather shoes clicking methodically against the floor. He stopped a few feet away, his gaze steady and unyielding. “David made his choice years ago when he decided to look the other way, Julian. Just as you are making yours right now by refusing to accept reality. The board needed a clean break, and the foundation needed stability. Sometimes, sacrifices have to be made to keep the empire standing.”
Little Lily whimpered, burying her face deep into Julian’s side once more. Julian wrapped a protective arm around her, feeling the rapid, terrified beat of her small heart. He knew that staying on this floor meant playing directly into Arthur’s hands. The security detail was growing by the minute, and the gray smoke from the vault was beginning to smell faintly of chemicals—an automated fire suppression system preparing to flood the sealed room with inert gas.
“We’re leaving,” Julian told the guards, his voice low, steady, and laden with a promise of retribution that made even the larger security officer hesitate. “Move out of my way.”
The guards glanced sideways at Arthur, waiting for a command. Arthur gave a slow, imperceptible nod, signaling them to let Julian pass. He had no intention of stopping them here; the real trap was waiting downstairs at the perimeter exits where the corporate lawyers and local authorities had already been briefed.
Julian scooped Lily up into his arms, holding her tightly against his chest. He cast one final glance at the observation slit. The red light on the tablet had gone dark. The vault room was completely pitch black.
As Julian, Lily, and Victoria hurried toward the emergency stairwell, the heavy fire doors swung shut behind them with a dull thud. Just as they reached the landing, the harsh sound of police sirens began to wail faintly from the street far below, echoing up the concrete stairwell.
Victoria stopped dead in her tracks, her hand gripping the metal handrail so hard her knuckles turned white. She turned to Julian, her eyes wide with sheer terror.
May you like
“They aren't here for Arthur,” she whispered, her voice trembling violently. “They’re here for the body they just found in the lobby.”
---
