Veronica: Make sure you clear out the offshore transfer logs, Mark! If Richard calls his forensic accountant, we're finished!
Mark: Relax, Veronica. Richard is sitting at his mansion right now panicking like a headless chicken. He thinks I'm driving over to comfort him!
Elena pressed her back against the thick velvet curtain, holding her breath. Through a small gap in the fabric, she saw Veronica and Mark walk into the office. Mark had never gone to the Sterling mansion—he had met Veronica right in front of the building and come straight back upstairs!
Veronica: Did you bring the backup keys to the vault?
Mark: I don't need keys. The files are right here in the safe... wait a minute.
Mark stopped dead in his tracks, staring at the open steel door of the wall safe. His face turned pale as he realized the compartment was completely exposed.
Mark: The safe... it's wide open!
Veronica: What?! Who opened it?!
Mark: The blue folder is gone! Someone is in this office right now!
Mark reached into his suit jacket, pulling out a small silver handgun. Veronica gasped, stepping back toward the doorway, her hands flying over her mouth.
Veronica: Mark, what are you doing with a weapon?!
Mark: Nobody ruins a twenty-million-dollar deal for me. Show yourself! I know you're hiding in here!
Elena's heart pounded violently against her chest. She clutched the blue folder tight against her ribs, looking desperately around the dark curtain for an exit. Maria was squeezed into a narrow file closet across the room, frozen in total terror.
Mark: I'm going to count to three! If you don't step out, I start shooting through the furniture!
Veronica: Mark, don't do anything stupid that brings the cops here!
Mark: Shut up, Veronica! One... Two...
Suddenly, the heavy glass window behind Mark’s desk shattered into a thousand pieces with a loud, terrifying crash. A bright red laser light danced across the office floor, focusing straight on Mark's chest.
Voice (Megaphone outside): THIS IS THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT SPECIAL RESPONSE TEAM! DROP YOUR WEAPON IMMEDIATELY AND PUT YOUR HANDS ON YOUR HEAD!
Mark: What the hell?! How did they get here so fast?!
The office door was kicked open with immense force, splintering the frame as four heavily armed police officers rushed into the room with tactical shields and flashlights.
Police Officer: ON THE GROUND! BOTH OF YOU, DOWN ON THE GROUND NOW!
Mark dropped the gun onto the carpet, raising his hands high above his head as two officers tackled him to the floor, pinning his arms behind his back. Veronica screamed as a female officer forced her down onto her knees, slapping heavy steel handcuffs onto her wrists.
Veronica: Get your hands off me! Do you know who I am?! I am Richard Sterling's fiancée!
Richard: Not anymore you're not.
Richard stepped into the doorway, flanked by two city detectives and his lead corporate investigator. He stared down at the trembling woman with cold, uncompromising disgust.
Richard: You forgot one thing, Mark. My luxury SUV has a live GPS tracking device synced directly to my phone. When my driver brought Elena here, I saw the vehicle stop at your office building on my dashboard map.
Mark: Richard... please, listen to me! She forced me into this! Veronica made me alter the documents!
Veronica: You lying bastard! It was your idea from the start!
Richard: Save it for the judge. Both of you are going away for attempt on a minor's life, grand larceny, and corporate fraud.
Elena stepped out from behind the velvet curtains, holding the blue folder out toward Richard. Her hands were still shaking, but her face showed pure relief.
Elena: I have all the original forged documents right here, Mr. Sterling.
Richard: Thank you, Elena. You saved my son twice today.
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