Chapter 2 - The Broken Screen
The smartphone screen shattered into a web of bright white lines upon impact, but the payroll spreadsheet remained stubbornly illuminated through the cracks. Julian dropped to his knees, his hands hovering over the broken glass as if trying to piece together a life that had unraveled in less than twelve seconds. Officer Miller’s boots crunched on the gravelly sidewalk as he towered over the kneeling man, his badge gleaming faintly beneath his dark jacket. Marcus Vance did not look down at the device. His gaze was fixed on the corporate lobby beyond the revolving doors, where several junior accountants pressed their faces against the glass, watching the public execution of Julian’s career with wide, silent eyes.
"Pick it up, Julian," Officer Miller commanded, his tone flat and procedural. "Hands where I can see them. Don't make this any harder than it already is."
Julian slowly lifted his head, his face drained of all color. The clean-shaven cheeks that usually projected corporate confidence now twitched with panic. He looked up at Marcus, who remained statuesque in his tailored navy suit, embodying an immovable wall of corporate justice.
"You don't understand, Mr. Vance," Julian whispered, his voice trembling so violently the words blurred together. "It wasn't just me. I didn't keep the money for myself. I had to pay the vendor fee for the Q3 audit. If I didn't cover that gap, the entire regional office would have failed federal compliance. You would have gone down for corporate negligence."
Marcus tilted his head slightly, a micro-expression of cold curiosity crossing his features. He slowly crossed his arms, his white shirt cuffs peeking out beneath his jacket sleeves.
"Compliance?" Marcus repeated, his voice dangerously soft. "You are talking about internal accounting compliance while embezzling from an entry-level logistics clerk who has two kids at home? Do you take me for a fool, Julian?"
"I have the email receipts," Julian pleaded, his voice rising in pitch as panic took full control. He scrambled for the phone, ignoring Officer Miller’s warning shout. "Right here in my drafts folder. Proof that the board knew about the shortfall. Proof that I was ordered to balance the books by any means necessary!"
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Officer Miller grabbed Julian by the shoulder, hauling him upright with practiced ease, while Marcus slowly reached down to retrieve the cracked smartphone. As Marcus swiped past the broken glass on the screen, a new notification banner popped up at the top, showing an incoming text message from an internal company extension labeled simply: The Board.
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