Chapter 3 - The Ultimatum
The locking mechanism of the conference room doors echoed like a gunshot.
The two men in dark suits stepped forward and silently displayed their federal badges.
Robert stared at the gold shields in absolute disbelief.
He slowly lowered himself into the heavy leather chair, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the armrests.
“This is an illegal corporate espionage tactic,” Robert threatened, trying to regain control of the room.
“I will have you sued for defamation, Ethan.”
I pushed a thick red folder across the polished table toward him.
“You cannot sue someone for providing documented proof of a federal crime,” I replied calmly.
“Open the folder, Robert.”
He hesitated for a second before flipping the heavy cover open.
His eyes scanned the top document, and I watched his breathing hitch in his throat.
“Those are not just altered invoice dates,” I explained to the silent board members.
“Madison created three fictitious vendor accounts in overseas jurisdictions.”
“She used my forged digital signature to approve over four million dollars in fraudulent payments over the last six months.”
The two board members gasped in unison, turning their horrified gazes toward my sister.
Madison did not look panicked at all.
Instead, she let out a condescending laugh and casually examined her manicured fingernails.
“You are so dramatic, Ethan,” she mocked.
“You set up those shell companies yourself to hide money from the IRS.”
“I just figured out what you were doing and tried to stop you.”
The federal agents exchanged a skeptical look.
“We have the IP address logs showing the accounts were created from your personal laptop,” one agent stated flatly.
Madison smiled, reaching into her expensive designer handbag.
“IP addresses can be spoofed by any decent tech guy,” she countered smoothly.
She pulled out a sleek digital audio recorder and placed it in the center of the table.
“But you cannot spoof a direct, unedited voice confession,” she added maliciously.
She pressed the play button on the device.
A voice that sounded exactly like mine filled the quiet conference room.
“Make sure the funds are routed through the Cayman account before Friday, Madison,” the recorded voice commanded.
“If the auditors catch the missing revenue, I will just blame the software migration glitch.”
The recording clicked off, leaving a suffocating silence in its wake.
Robert pointed a trembling finger directly at my face.
“Arrest him right now!” my father ordered the federal agents.
“You just heard him admit to the entire embezzlement scheme!”
I did not flinch, nor did I break eye contact with my smirking sister.
“That is a very convincing deepfake audio file, Madison,” I said softly.
“But it is a shame you didn't check the digital timestamp before you presented it to the FBI.”
I tapped my laptop keyboard, projecting the audio file's metadata onto the massive screen behind me.
“You time-stamped that fake conversation for Tuesday at exactly two in the afternoon,” I revealed.
“And I can prove mathematically that I was nowhere near you at that exact moment.”
Madison crossed her arms defensively.
“Oh really?” she challenged.
“Where exactly were you?”
The compliance consultant adjusted his tie and offered a chilling smile.
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“He was sitting in a windowless interrogation room at the FBI field office,” the consultant answered.
“He was wearing a federal wire, and he was detailing this exact extortion plot to the Director of Cyber Crimes.”
