Chapter 4 - The Public Execution
The string quartet’s cello clattered to the floor as one of the musicians dropped his instrument in shock. The whispers in the ballroom exploded into a deafening roar of outrage.
"Shut up!" Kalin screamed at the crowd, his perfectly styled hair now disheveled, the veins bulging in his neck. He looked at Silas. "You can't use stolen data, Sterling! It's inadmissible in court!"
"I didn't steal it," Silas said smoothly, adjusting his cufflinks. "Your wife legally resides at your primary residence and had lawful access to the shared network. Furthermore, as of 5:00 p.m. this evening, she transferred her 50% marital equity in Thorne Industries to Sterling Global."
The woman in the black suit stepped forward again, holding a thick stack of legal documents.
"Kalin Thorne," she announced, her voice ringing out with absolute authority. "I am serving you with a federal subpoena from the Securities and Exchange Commission, an asset freeze from the Department of Justice, and a formal notification of a hostile takeover by Sterling Global."
She slapped the documents directly into Kalin’s chest. He reflexively grabbed them, staring down at the thick black ink that spelled the end of his life.
Tamson, realizing the ship wasn't just sinking but was already at the bottom of the ocean, tried to crawl away toward the side exit, her ruined red dress leaving a faint trail on the marble.
"Stop her," Silas commanded the hotel security guards.
Two large men immediately blocked the doors, pulling a sobbing, hysterical Tamson to her feet.
"I didn't know!" Tamson shrieked, pointing at Kalin. "He told me he was a billionaire! I didn't know he was stealing pensions! Please, let me go!"
Kalin slowly lifted his head from the papers. The vicious, tyrannical husband I had feared for two years was gone, replaced by a hollow, cornered coward.
"Saraphina," Kalin whimpered, tears spilling over his eyelashes. He dropped to his knees, ignoring the broken glass, crawling toward me just as Tamson had done moments before. "Please. We're husband and wife. I love you. I was just stressed. I'll give you whatever you want. Don't do this to me."
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I looked down at him, feeling the absolute absence of pity.
"You already gave me what I wanted, Kalin," I said softly. "You gave me a front-row seat to your destruction."
