Part 3: The One Phone Call
The holding cell at the 19th Precinct smelled of bleach, stale sweat, and cheap institutional coffee.
For the first time in his life, Daniel Vance was not wearing a custom-tailored Italian suit. He was wearing an oversized orange jumpsuit, sitting on a cold steel bench next to a man who had been arrested for public intoxication.
Daniel’s hands were shaking, not from the cold, but from sheer, unadulterated rage. He was a CEO. He was a Vance. He believed this was all a massive, temporary misunderstanding. Claire was just throwing a tantrum. Once his lawyers arrived, he would have her sued for false imprisonment and completely destroy her.
A guard banged on the iron bars. "Vance. You get one phone call. Make it quick."
Daniel practically sprinted to the wall-mounted phone. He aggressively punched in the number for Richard Sterling, the ruthlessly expensive lead counsel for Vance Enterprises.
"Richard!" Daniel barked into the receiver the second the line connected. "It’s Daniel. I’m at the 19th precinct. My crazy wife had me arrested over a domestic squabble. Get down here immediately, post my bail, and draft divorce papers. I want her completely wiped out!"
There was a long, heavy silence on the other end of the line.
"I am sorry, Mr. Vance," Richard’s voice replied, sounding entirely too calm. "But I cannot do that."
Daniel’s brow furrowed. "What do you mean you can't? I pay your retainer! You work for me!"
"I work for Vance Enterprises," Richard corrected smoothly. "And as of 8:00 a.m. this morning, Vance Enterprises underwent a hostile acquisition. Henderson Global officially bought out sixty percent of the voting shares. The board held an emergency meeting twenty minutes ago."
Daniel felt the blood drain from his face. The cold reality of the concrete walls suddenly felt like it was closing in on him. "Henderson Global? No... Claire's family only owns minor real estate..."
"Claire Henderson is the sole beneficiary of the Henderson Global Trust, Daniel," Richard stated, completely dropping the professional courtesy. "She is the new Chairwoman of your board. And her first executive order was to terminate you for violation of the moral turpitude clause due to your arrest."
"You can't do this!" Daniel screamed into the phone, his voice echoing off the cell walls.
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"It's already done," Richard said coldly. "Your company credit cards are canceled. Your corporate accounts are frozen. I advise you to use a public defender for your assault charge. Goodbye, Daniel."
The line went dead. Daniel dropped the heavy plastic receiver. He slowly slid down the concrete wall, burying his face in his hands as the illusion of his entire empire shattered into a million irreversible pieces.
