Chapter 7 - The Anonymous Shareholders
The heavy security door slammed shut, cutting off Julian’s frantic screaming and plunging the subterranean archive back into a heavy, suffocating silence. The three corporate lawyers who had been sitting passively at the mahogany table were now shaking so violently that their briefcases slid off their laps, hitting the concrete floor with dull, plastic thuds.
Rocco walked over to the head of the table, his heavy boots clicking rhythmically against the stone. He picked up one of the abandoned briefcases, popped the brass latches with a flick of his thumbs, and tipped it upside down. A cascade of manila folders, printed bank statements, and encrypted flash drives spilled across the dark wood.
"Well, gentlemen," Rocco rumbled, casting a cold, predatory glance down at the terrified lawyers. "It appears your employment contract with Julian has just been terminated. The question now is whether you prefer to walk out of here with your licenses intact or leave in the same handcuffs our young friend just received."
The lead lawyer, a middle-aged man with sweat pouring down his forehead, pressed his palms flat against the table.
"We were just following directives from the operational committee!" the lawyer babbled, his voice trembling uncontrollably. "We didn't know about the embezzlement! Julian handled the offshore routing directly through shell companies in Zurich!"
Arthur walked slowly behind the mahogany table, placing one hand lightly on the polished wood. His weathered face caught the flickering light of the overhead fluorescent tube, casting deep shadows across his sharp cheekbones.
"You drafted the papers that transferred my medical proxy to a corrupt physician," Arthur said quietly, his tone dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You certified that I was mentally incompetent while simultaneously cashing quarterly retainer checks signed by my own hand. Ignorance is not a legal defense when your signatures are stamped on every fraudulent document in this room."
Rocco crossed his arms over his broad chest, a grim smile playing at the corners of his scarred mouth.
"Arthur, why don't you tell them who the anonymous majority shareholders really are?" Rocco suggested, nodding toward the trembling legal team. "I think they deserve to know whose signatures they've been forging for the past three years."
Arthur reached into his black suit jacket and pulled out a small, heavy velvet box. He flipped the lid open with his thumb, revealing an old-fashioned brass key engraved with a intricate dragon crest—the original corporate seal of Vance Maritime, locked away the day their father passed away.
May you like
"The anonymous shareholders don't exist," Arthur stated plainly, locking eyes with the lead lawyer. "We bought back every single floating share during the market crash last November using private family reserves. Julian was simply playing a game we allowed him to win, right up until the moment he decided to steal from a child in the hotel lobby."
---
