The board members who had backed Victor were forced to resign under threat of federal indictment. They surrendered their shares, leaving Marcus with absolute, uncontested control of the company. Victor was denied bail, sitting in a federal holding cell facing a minimum of twenty years. Derek found himself locked out of his luxury condo, his trust fund frozen by the SEC.
But for Marcus, the real victory wasn't the arrests. It was what happened after the dust settled.
Late that evening, Marcus stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office, looking out over the glittering city skyline. The door clicked open, and Maya walked in, carrying a fresh stack of folders. She looked exhausted, but for the first time in years, the tension had vanished from her shoulders.
“The federal auditors are setting up in conference room B,” Maya said, setting the folders on his desk. “And the PR team wants a statement regarding the leadership transition.”
Marcus turned around. “Draft the statement. Tell them Vanguard is undergoing a complete internal restructure. And announce our new Chief Financial Officer.”
Maya blinked, surprised. “You found someone already?”
Marcus smiled faintly. “He starts Monday. He’s taking a few days to fly to Seattle. He has a wife and kids to bring home.”
Maya’s eyes widened as she realized what he meant. A genuine, relieved smile broke across her face. “I’ll get his office ready.”
“And Maya?” Marcus added before she could leave.
She paused at the door. “Yes, Mr. Vance?”
“You’re taking his old office. You’re the new Head of Internal Auditing. From now on, nobody hides anything in this building.”
She nodded, her eyes shining with unshed tears, and softly closed the door.