Chapter 14 - The Shadow in the Cell
Across town, inside the cold, concrete walls of the Metropolitan Correctional Center, Julian Vance sat on a narrow metal bench inside a ten-by-ten holding cell.
He was still wearing his black tuxedo, but the jacket was torn, the silk lapels crumpled, and his pristine white shirt stained with sweat and dirt from the police transport van.
The fluorescent light above flickered with a low, buzzing hum that grated against his nerves like a saw blade.
Outside his cell, a heavy iron door opened. His high-priced corporate defense attorney, Richard Sterling, stepped up to the bars, carrying a leather briefcase. His face was grave, devoid of any reassuring smiles.
"Get me out of here, Richard," Julian demanded, springing up from the bench and clutching the cold iron bars with his manicured hands. "Post bail! I have five million in liquid funds in the Chase account!"
"The Chase account was frozen an hour ago, Julian," Sterling said flatly, pulling a sheaf of legal documents from his briefcase. "The judge designated you an extreme flight risk. No bail."
"Then call the board! Call the press!" Julian shouted, his voice cracking with hysteria. "Tell them it was a setup!"
"The board fired you thirty minutes ago, Julian," Sterling replied, looking at his client with cold professional detachment. "They unanimously voted to appoint Evelyn Vance as Interim CEO. And as for the press... the video of you striking your daughter in the ballroom has been viewed forty million times online."
Julian’s hands slipped from the iron bars. He took a step back, his face turning gray as the reality of his total, absolute ruin finally smashed through his narcissism.
May you like
"It's over, Julian," Sterling said, closing his briefcase with a loud snap. "I'm withdrawing as your chief counsel. Good luck."
The attorney turned and walked down the corridor, his footsteps fading into the cold, impenetrable silence of the prison block.
