Chapter 2 - The Hostile Takeover
The armored limousine careened violently through the dark streets of Manhattan, swerving past slower vehicles as the engine roared.
Ethan unbuckled his seatbelt and climbed into the front passenger seat, ignoring the sheer terror radiating from his loyal driver.
He ripped the plastic paneling off the dashboard, exposing the complex wiring of the car's centralized computer system.
Using the sharp edge of his diamond cufflink, Ethan frantically sawed through the main electronic control harness.
Sparks flew directly into his face just as the massive concrete wall of the bridge loomed impossibly close in the windshield.
The electronic lock on the emergency brake released, allowing Thomas to yank the lever upward with all his remaining strength.
The limousine spun wildly out of control, tires screaming in agony before slamming violently into a row of parked cars and coming to a halt.
Ethan kicked his shattered door open, pulling a bleeding Thomas out into the freezing rain just as the limousine's engine caught fire.
He immediately called his vice president, Marcus, ordering an emergency board meeting and a full lockdown of the company servers.
When Ethan arrived at his corporate headquarters an hour later, his tailored suit was covered in a mixture of engine grease, dried cake, and blood.
Marcus met him in the executive boardroom, holding a thick leather folder and looking incredibly nervous.
Before Ethan could speak, the boardroom doors swung wide open, revealing Chloe's father, Richard.
Richard sneered at Ethan's ruined appearance, tossing a stack of fabricated bank statements directly onto the polished mahogany table.
He calmly stated that if Ethan did not reinstate the merger funds immediately, he would leak these documents to the press.
The forged papers perfectly framed Ethan for embezzling millions of dollars from his own venture capital clients.
Ethan laughed coldly, turning to Marcus to order security to throw Richard out of the building.
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Marcus did not move toward the phone, nor did he look at the security panel.
Instead, Marcus stepped forward, stood directly beside Richard, and quietly advised Ethan to sign the merger documents before things got worse.
