Part 12
The afternoon sun began to dip below the horizon,
casting long,
amber shadows across the pristine surface of Clara’s desk.
She sat alone in her office,
the quietness of the room a stark contrast to the storm she had unleashed.
A soft knock on the door interrupted her thoughts,
and Marcus walked in,
holding a single manila envelope.
"The legal team has finalized the paperwork for your parents’ trust funds,"
Marcus said,
setting the envelope down before her with quiet respect.
"As you suspected,
the primary funding for their lifestyle was tied directly to a corporate allowance account."
"A benefit provided by the company’s original charter."
Clara picked up the documents,
her eyes scanning the complex legal jargon with effortless speed.
"And since Daniel violated the charter by siphoning funds into that very allowance,"
"the entire account is now flagged as part of the criminal investigation,"
she noted,
a faint,
satisfied smile touching her lips.
"Exactly,"
Marcus confirmed.
"By tomorrow morning,
their monthly stipend will drop to zero."
"The lease on their luxury apartment downtown will be terminated by the end of the week."
"They will have to rely entirely on whatever savings they have left,"
"which,
according to our financial audit,
is practically nothing."
Clara closed the folder,
the heavy sound signifying the end of an era.
"They wanted to live like royalty on the back of my labor,"
she murmured,
her voice cold and devoid of any regret.
"They thought they could treat me like an object to be traded away."
"Let them see how far their pride takes them when they have to pay for their own bread."
"What about Tessa?"
Marcus inquired,
shifting his stance slightly.
"She has been calling the main office every fifteen minutes,
demanding to speak with you."
"She claims she has valuable information about Daniel’s secondary accounts."
Clara let out a soft,
cynical laugh,
leaning back in her leather chair.
"She doesn't have any information,
Marcus."
"She is just panicking because she realizes her ticket to a luxurious life has just been cancelled."
"She wants to play the informant to save herself from the fallout."
"Block her number from the entire corporate system."
"If she wants to talk,
she can talk to the district attorney."
"Understood,"
Marcus replied,
making a quick note on his tablet.
"The media coverage has been overwhelmingly positive for you,
by the way."
"The market reacted incredibly well to your swift action."
"Our stock price rose by seven percent before the closing bell."
Clara stood up,
walking over to the window to look out at the bustling city below.
"The market respects strength,
Marcus,"
she said,
her reflection showing a face that was entirely resolute.
"They knew Daniel was a parasite,
even if they couldn't prove it."
"Now that the parasite is gone,"
May you like
"the company can finally breathe again."
"And so can I."
