The data stream on the massive screen updated automatically, displaying the total deficit recovered from the offshore accounts: $12,800,000.
Marcus stared at the numbers, his legs finally giving out as he slumped into a nearby velvet chair. The empire he had spent years trying to control through deception had evaporated in less than five minutes.
Chapter 5: The Clear Horizon
By midnight, the grand ballroom had emptied of all except the investigators and the core legal team. The crystal chandeliers still glittered overhead, but the illusion of untouchable power had vanished entirely.
Julian stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking out over the city lights reflecting off the wet pavement below. The rain had finally stopped, leaving behind a sharp, clean night sky.
Footsteps echoed softly behind him. Clara stopped a few feet away, holding two glasses of sparkling water. She extended one toward him, a faint, tired smile on her lips.