Chapter 9 - The House of Cards
"You're lying!" Elias barked, his face turning an ugly shade of purple. "Victoria executed the transfer ten minutes ago! My accounts hold your assets!"
"Check your phone, Elias," Sebastian commanded softly.
Elias pulled out his phone, his hands shaking. His screen was completely locked, displaying a single, red spinning wheel.
"While your little corporate spy here was trying to hack my brother's laptop," Sebastian explained to the rapt, dead-silent ballroom, "she inadvertently downloaded a mirrored Trojan virus straight into Vanguard's mainframe. You didn't steal my assets, Elias. You opened the door to your own vault. As of five minutes ago, Vanguard Holdings is entirely liquidated. The funds have been donated to thirty different global charities anonymously."
Elias dropped his phone. It shattered on the marble floor. He fell to his knees, clutching his chest, realizing his multi-billion dollar empire had evaporated in a matter of seconds.
Victoria turned to run toward the exits, but heavy hands clamped onto her shoulders. Three FBI agents, who had been posing as waiters all evening, stepped out of the crowd.
"Victoria Sterling, also known as Elena Rostova, you are under arrest for corporate espionage, wire fraud, and grand larceny," the lead agent said, snapping heavy steel cuffs onto her wrists.
Victoria looked back at Sebastian, her perfectly manicured facade shattered into pieces. She was crying now, mascara running down her cheeks. "Sebastian! Please! I loved you! The rest was just a job, but I loved you!"
May you like
Sebastian looked at her, feeling absolutely nothing but the cool satisfaction of a perfectly executed recipe.
"Your palate is too cheap for my taste, Victoria," Sebastian said coldly. "Take her away."
