Chapter 2
Inside the secure interior of the bulletproof SUV, Sarah finally allowed a slow, chilling smile to cross her perfectly composed face. She rested a protective hand over her pregnant stomach, feeling the quiet strength of her unborn child fueling her absolute resolve.
"The extraction was flawless, Madam Director," the driver noted quietly, tapping the secure encrypted communication terminal on the dashboard. "The media has already uploaded the footage to every major social platform; Richard's stock is plummeting," the operative confirmed.
Sarah pulled a secondary encrypted tablet from her trench coat pocket, watching the live ticker tape of the New York Stock Exchange. The shares of Sterling Global Acquisitions were already experiencing a catastrophic free-fall in after-hours trading, hemorrhaging billions of dollars.
Back in the hotel lobby, Richard tore open the cream-colored envelope with frantic, shaking hands, ignoring Victoria completely. His eyes darted rapidly across the thick parchment paper, his face draining of all color until he looked like a living ghost.
"What does it say, Richard? Is she trying to extort us?" Victoria demanded, stepping closer and attempting to read over his shoulder. Richard slowly crushed the document in his fist, his breathing ragged and shallow as true terror finally consumed his mind.
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"It is not an extortion demand; it is a federal subpoena from the United States Securities and Exchange Commission," Richard whispered breathlessly. The document detailed every single illegal offshore shell company he had used to hide his assets from the federal government.
Sarah had not just walked away from their broken marriage; she had handed him a one-way ticket to a federal penitentiary.
