Chapter 3 - The Arrest
"No... no, no, no," Ethan muttered, taking a step backward until his knees hit his chair. "Claire, stop this joke right now! Is this because of last night?! Is this because I slapped you?! You’re trying to ruin my life over a stupid argument?!"
The entire boardroom gasped.
Warren Pike’s eyes hardened into ice. He turned his head slowly toward Ethan. "You put your hands on her?"
"She insulted me!" Ethan yelled, losing all composure, his voice cracking with hysteria. "She made a joke at the bar! She embarrassed me in front of Mark and the team!"
"I didn't need to embarrass you, Ethan," I said calmly, taking a seat beside Warren. "You did that all by yourself when you stole $14 million from your own clients to fund your margin calls on crypto and off-market options."
"I was going to put it back!" Ethan screamed, slamming his hands onto the glass table. "The trade at Apex was a sure thing! I was going to replace the funds before the end-of-year audit!"
"There is no putting it back, Ethan," Warren Pike said coldly, pressing a button on the conference phone in front of him. "Security, bring them in."
The main boardroom doors opened again.
Two uniformed officers from the NYPD Financial Crimes Squad stepped into the room, accompanied by two federal agents in dark suits holding a federal arrest warrant.
Ethan shrank back, his face turning gray. "Warren... please! We can fix this! Don't involve the feds! Think of the firm’s reputation!"
"We are thinking of the firm's reputation," Warren replied flatly. "Which is why we are fully cooperating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and turning over all your personal assets to satisfy the stolen funds."
The federal agent stepped up to Ethan, grabbing his arm and twisting it firmly behind his back. The sharp click of steel handcuffs echoed loudly in the silent boardroom.
"Ethan Vance," the agent read mechanically. "You are under arrest for federal wire fraud, securities fraud, corporate espionage, and grand larceny. You have the right to remain silent..."
"Claire!" Ethan shrieked as the agent pulled him toward the door. "Claire, look at me! Tell them it’s a mistake! I’m your husband! We have a penthouse! We have a life! You can't do this to me!"
I stood up slowly, walked over to him, and looked at his tear-streaked face.
I reached into my blazer pocket, pulled out the folded divorce papers I had drafted hours earlier, and slid them into the breast pocket of his tailored navy suit.
"You told me last night that this is what happens when I think being clever is the same as being useful," I whispered so only he could hear. "Consider this my most useful work yet."
"You bitch!" Ethan roared, thrashing against the officers' grip as they dragged him backward out of the boardroom. "You destroyed me! I'll kill you! I'll fucking destroy you!"
His thraxing screams echoed down the marble hallway until the heavy glass doors clicked shut, leaving the boardroom in total, heavy silence.
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Warren Pike turned to me, offering his hand. "Claire... on behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to apologize for how you were treated last night. And I want to thank you for saving this firm from absolute ruin."
I shook his hand firmly. "It was just business, Warren. Now, let's discuss my firm's fee."
