Mercer collapsed forward, burying his face in his hands. His shoulders heaved as he let out a ragged, sob-like breath.
"You don't understand..." Mercer wept, his voice muffled by his trembling fingers. "Henri promised me... he promised me the maison wouldn't survive your acquisition anyway! He said you were going to strip the assets, dismantle the high-jewelry workshops in Paris, and turn Maison Aurelia into a hollow marketing shell for Vance Global! He told me I was saving the house's identity by helping him retrieve what was rightfully his family's property!"
"Lord Henri de Aurelia lost legal title to this house the moment he signed the debt-for-equity swap six months ago," Marcus Vance said, his voice ringing like an iron bell. "You didn't save a legacy, Julian. You committed grand larceny, corporate espionage, and criminal conspiracy."
"Where is the necklace?" Amara demanded, her voice cutting through Mercer’s weeping like a diamond blade.
Mercer raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, tears streaming through the cosmetic powder on his cheeks. "I... I didn't take it out of the building! I swear to God I didn't! I handed the velvet case through the private service chute on the mezzanine level at 4:17 PM. Claire... Claire Sterling was waiting in the alley in a private black town car. She had the master clearance code for the loading bay security gate!"
"Claire Sterling," Amara repeated softly, her lips curving into a cold, ruthless smile. "Henri’s master jeweler. The loyal servant."
"She took it directly to Teterboro Airport," Mercer blurted, eager to bargain, his voice rising in desperation. "She had a private charter booked for 5:30 PM! Henri arranged it! They're flying it out of the country! Please... Amara... Miss Vance! I was manipulated! Henri threatened to expose my gambling debts to the board if I didn't help him! I can testify against him! I can give you the offshore account details!"
Amara stepped back, her peplum mini-dress catching the overhead light, her floor-sweeping lilac crown headwrap holding her high, unyielding posture. She looked down at Mercer as if he were a speck of dust on her canary-yellow heels.
"You are in no position to bargain, Mr. Mercer," Amara said with absolute finality.
She turned to Garrett Cole. "Garrett. Escort Mr. Mercer down to the secondary holding room near the loading dock. Federal investigators and the Southern District prosecutor are already waiting at the front doors. Hand him over alongside Victoria’s digital forensic dossier."
"Understood, Miss Vance," Cole said, stepping forward and hoisting Mercer out of his chair by his upper arm. Mercer didn't resist; he slumped forward, weeping silently as he was led out of the heavy oak doors.
As the doors closed behind them, Amara turned her attention to Arthur Pendelton.
Pendelton sat quietly, his hands still folded neatly on the table, his demeanor calm, poised, and unblemished by the chaos that had just unfolded.
"Arthur," Amara said softly.
"Yes, Miss Vance?"
"As of this moment, Julian Mercer is officially terminated. You are appointed Permanent Flagship Director of Maison Aurelia, New York."
Pendelton didn't smile; he simply bowed his head with deep, respectful gravity. "I accept the responsibility, Miss Vance. My first priority will be reassuring our private clients and restoring absolute integrity to our vault operations."
"Good," Amara said. "Because your second priority will be managing the launch of our global high-jewelry collection next week."
She turned back to Marcus and Victoria, her eyes flashing with cold, calculated brilliance.
"Teterboro Airport," Amara said, her voice dropping into the command tone that had built Vance Global into an empire. "Victoria, tell me that plane hasn't left the tarmac."
Victoria looked up from her screen, her brow furrowed. "The private charter registered to Sterling Fine Arts cleared Teterboro airspace twenty minutes ago, Amara. Transponder tracking shows it heading east over the Atlantic."
"Destination?" Marcus asked, his jaw tightening.
Victoria executed a fast flight plan query. "Flight plan lists a refueling stop in Lisbon... but the final destination flight manifest is registered to Dubai International."
Marcus cursed under his breath. "Dubai. Outside the immediate jurisdiction of European asset freezing orders, and notorious for private free-zone vault security."
Amara walked back to the head of the table. She reached down, picked up her pair of heavy 24-carat pear-cut canary diamond drop earrings, touched them lightly to ensure they were securely fastened, and then adjusted the silk lapel of her regal lilac crown headwrap.
"Then we go to Dubai," Amara said calmly. "Marcus, prepare the Gulfstream G700. We wheels-up in one hour."