Chapter 4: The House of Cards Collapses
Back at the ballroom, the gala was reaching its peak. Julian was on the stage, preparing to announce the merger that would solidify his legacy. He felt invincible. He had seen the police take the "thief" away, he had secured his social standing, and his stock price had hit an all-time high that morning.
But then, the phones in the ballroom started to buzz.
It started as a ripple. A murmur here, a gasp there. Then, the entire room erupted into a cacophony of confusion. One by one, the billionaires and investors checked their stock apps.
"Julian!" a partner shouted from the front row, his voice frantic. "What is happening to the ticker? We’re hemorrhaging money! The NYSE has just halted trading on Sterling Tech!"
Julian laughed, stepping to the microphone. "It’s a glitch, everyone. Just a minor—"
"It's not a glitch, you idiot!" Vanessa shouted, looking at her screen with horror. "The SEC just issued an emergency freeze! They’re saying the core architecture of your OS is stolen! They have the source code—the original timestamps from a patent filed in 2021!"
The color drained from Julian’s face. He grabbed his phone. His corporate accounts were showing a negative balance. His email was flooded with notifications of lawsuits, patent claims, and resignation letters from every board member.
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"How?" he whispered. "How could they know?"
He looked at the doors, hoping to see his head of security. Instead, he saw two federal agents in dark suits walking through the crowd, heading straight for the stage. The music stopped. The gala was no longer a party; it was a crime scene.
