Chapter 12 - The Prisoner's Bargain
The federal penitentiary was a cold, imposing fortress of gray concrete and barbed wire. I sat in the sterile, heavily monitored visitation room, separated by a thick pane of bulletproof glass. The heavy metal door on the opposite side buzzed loudly, and Julian was escorted into the room by two armed guards. He looked absolutely dreadful. His expensive haircuts and designer suits were replaced by a faded orange jumpsuit and dark, exhausted bags under his eyes. Yet, when he saw me sitting across from him, that familiar, sickening smirk crawled across his bruised face. He picked up the black plastic telephone receiver. "To what do I owe this absolute pleasure, my darling wife?" Julian mocked cruelly through the phone. "Cut the pathetic act, Julian," I stated coldly, completely unfazed by his toxic arrogance. "The syndicate left a black lily on my doorstep this morning." Julian's arrogant smirk vanished instantly, replaced by a fleeting flash of genuine panic. "They want their ten million dollars, and we both know you didn't lose it," I continued ruthlessly. "You hid a hardware wallet somewhere before the FBI raided the house." Julian leaned uncomfortably close to the thick glass, his eyes wide with a desperate, calculating greed. "I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about, Elena," he lied smoothly, though his voice cracked slightly. "If I tell the cartel that you stole from them, they will murder you in this prison," I warned him without a single ounce of pity. Julian swallowed hard, realizing he was entirely backed into a lethal corner. "Fine," he whispered frantically. "I have the digital keys. But I will only tell you where they are if you legally sign over half of your new marketing agency to my private offshore trust." I laughed harshly, the sound echoing sharply in the quiet visitation booth. "You are facing twenty years, Julian, and you are still trying to extort me?" I asked in pure disbelief. "It is my money!" Julian hissed violently, slamming his fist against the glass. "I earned it, and I am not letting you take everything my mother left behind!" I slowly stood up from the metal chair, looking down at him like the pathetic insect he truly was. "I will find the money without you, Julian," I promised coldly. "And when I do, I will make sure the cartel knows exactly who tried to keep it from them." As I turned to leave, Julian desperately shouted through the glass. "You will never find it! Only Chloe knows what to look for, and she is gone!"
