Destruction
834 Words
Edward leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Alright, let’s break this down. We’ve got financial fraud, corporate theft, and if we’re lucky, we might even squeeze in conspiracy.”
Emilia took a sip of her drink, her expression impassive. “Lucky?”
He smirked. “I like when cases have a bit of flair.”
She rolled her eyes. “Focus, Monroe. I need him buried under this, not wiggling his way out with a settlement.”
Edward nodded. “You said you froze certain accounts. Smart move, but we’ll need to hit harder. Does he have access to anything you haven’t locked down?”
Emilia’s mind moved quickly. “He still thinks he has control over some client trust accounts, but I have Michael tracing every transfer. The moment Bruce tries to touch them, we’ll have enough for misappropriation of funds.”
Edward’s eyes gleamed. “That’s a felony.”
“Exactly.”
He tilted his head. “And Beth?”
Emilia’s lips curled slightly. “She’s his weak spot.”
Edward raised a brow. “You think she’ll flip?”
“She’s opportunistic. She’s already entertaining other offers, which means she’s not as loyal as Bruce assumes.” Emilia leaned back, her gaze sharp. “We just need to make sure she realizes his ship is sinking before she goes down with it.”
Edward exhaled, thoughtful. “If she turns state’s witness, we can tighten the noose. What’s your plan for her?”
Emilia’s voice was cool. “Pressure. I want her to start feeling the walls close in—small hints that the firm is auditing accounts, subtle questions from HR. When she starts getting nervous, we give her an out.”
Edward smirked. “You really are ruthless.”
She didn’t deny it.
Instead, she tapped her fingers on the table. “What about legal strategy? If Bruce fights, what’s our approach?”
Edward considered for a moment. “We go aggressive. If he tries to settle, we refuse. If he tries to drag it out, we push for expedited proceedings. We paint him as a calculated criminal, not just a greedy businessman. Judges hate people who a***e their positions.”
Emilia nodded. “And his defense?”
“He’ll try to spin this as a business dispute—claim he was entitled to the money as a shareholder. We need to prove intent to steal.” Edward leaned in. “That’s where we need Beth. If she admits Bruce planned to leave and take the money with him? He’s finished.”
A slow smile spread across Emilia’s lips. “Then let’s make sure she talks.”
Edward lifted his glass in a mock toast. “To ruining your husband.”
Emilia clinked her glass against his, her gaze glinting with cold satisfaction. “To destroying him.”
#
Beth Lancaster wasn’t stupid. She knew when things were about to go south.
And right now? Something was wrong.
It started with small things—whispers in the office, a sudden firm-wide financial audit, emails flagged for review. The kind of things that didn’t directly point at her, but felt dangerously close.
Then, there was HR.
An unexpected meeting. A polite but pointed discussion about “recent expenses” and “professional boundaries.” Nothing explicit, but enough to make her stomach twist.
The real gut punch, though, came later.
A plain white envelope, slipped under her apartment door.
No return address. Just a single document inside.
A financial statement—one of the offshore accounts. The balance. The transfers. And at the bottom, a note in neat, precise handwriting.
You’re smart enough to know how this ends.
Let’s talk.
Beth’s hands shook.
Someone knew. Someone wanted her to know they knew.
She swallowed hard, pulling out her phone. She should call Bruce. Should tell him they had a problem.
But instead, her fingers hesitated over the screen.
If Bruce was compromised… was she still safe?
#
Bruce Clark prided himself on staying three steps ahead.
That’s why the sudden roadblocks bothered him.
His access to certain firm accounts? Temporarily restricted.
His attempt to transfer a routine payment? Delayed due to audit review.
A meeting request from the board? Unusual, but nothing damning.
And yet, all of it together felt like a noose tightening around his neck.
He paced in his office, checking his messages.
Beth still hadn’t called back. That was unusual. She always ran to him when something went wrong.
Then, there was Emilia.
She hadn’t changed a thing. No confrontation, no arguments. She was still calm, still precise, still running the firm like nothing was wrong.
And that? That was what scared him the most.
Because Emilia never ignored problems.
She eliminated them.
His phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number.
We should talk. Before it’s too late.
Bruce’s blood ran cold.
Someone was moving against him. And if he didn’t figure out who soon—
It might already be too late.
#
- Writer
