Chapter 4 - Whispers in the Boardroom
At two o’clock that afternoon, Julian walked into the executive boardroom of Apex Capital on the sixty-fifth floor of the Midtown tower.
Marcus Vance was already there, holding court at the head of the teak table. He was a man of silver-haired distinction, wearing a bespoke three-piece suit, his laugh booming across the room as he shared an anecdote with two city commissioners.
When Julian entered, Vance's smile tightened by a fraction of a millimeter—the only tell of a seasoned predator.
"Julian!" Vance boomed, standing and extending his right hand—the hand bearing the heavy gold signet ring. "We missed you at the after-party last night. Heard Elena took ill suddenly. Nothing serious, I hope?"
Julian looked down at the extended hand. He did not take it. Instead, he pulled out his chair and sat down with calm deliberation. The room fell into an awkward, expectant hush.
"Elena is recovering, Marcus," Julian said clearly, his voice carrying effortlessly. "She had an encounter with a coward."
A ripple of uneasy glances passed between the board members. Vance slowly withdrew his hand, his eyes hardening into flint. "Nasty city sometimes. Crime is getting out of hand."
"This wasn't random street crime," Julian replied, opening his leather portfolio. "This was calculated cruelty carried out by someone who believed their wealth placed them above human decency."
Vance chuckled coldly, leaning forward on his elbows. "Well, Julian, if you need resources to look into it, the city’s finest are always at our disposal. But we have business today. The vote on the East River port revitalization. Your firm holds the deciding vote."
Julian looked directly into Vance’s eyes. "My vote is cast. Apex Capital is divesting from the project entirely, effective immediately."
May you like
Gasps echoed down the table. Vance’s face turned an ugly, mottled red. "You're pulling fifty million dollars out of an infrastructure deal over a personal whim?"
"Not a whim, Marcus," Julian said, standing up and buttoning his jacket. "An audit. We discovered irregularities in your foundation’s escrow accounts. Federal investigators have already been notified. Have a productive afternoon, gentlemen."
