Inside the Sterling mansion, Margarethe was sitting at the head of the white marble table, sipping a cup of black coffee while two housekeepers scrubbed the ranch dressing off the floor[cite: 1].
Julian: Mom, that was epic! Did you see the look on her face when you shoved her into the bowl?!
Margarethe: It was necessary, Julian. That girl needed to understand her place. She was getting far too arrogant about her father's former holdings.
Julian: We should have done it weeks ago! Now we can finally sell off her grandmother's ring and buy that new speedboat I wanted!
Suddenly, Margarethe's cell phone began ringing loudly on the marble table. The caller ID displayed the name of the senior vice president of Dallas First National Bank.
Margarethe: Ah, that will be Henderson confirming our fifty-million-dollar credit extension.
Margarethe swiped the screen and placed the phone to her ear, her voice smoothing into a professional, polished tone.
Margarethe: Good afternoon, Robert! I assume the board has approved our expansion loan?
Robert: Margarethe... what on earth did you just do?
Margarethe froze, setting her coffee cup down with a sharp clink against the saucer.
Margarethe: I beg your pardon? What are you talking about, Robert?
Robert: We were on a conference call with Arthur Vance reviewing the merger documents when an encrypted audio stream was patched directly into our board room speaker!
Margarethe: Audio stream? What audio stream?!
Robert: We heard you shove Chloe Hayes into a bowl of food, Margarethe! We heard your son laughing about stealing her grandmother's engagement ring!
Julian’s laughter instantly vanished. He sat up straight in his chair, his face turning pale[cite: 1].
Julian: What... what is he saying, Mom?
Margarethe: Robert, that is a complete lie! It's an edited recording generated by AI! You can't possibly believe—
Robert: Don't insult my intelligence, Margarethe! We heard the physical altercation! We heard your security guards! The entire executive board witnessed your confession of grand larceny and fraud live!
Margarethe: Robert, listen to me—
Robert: The bank has officially terminated your credit line. Furthermore, we are calling in your existing twenty-million-dollar mortgage on the Sterling estate, effective immediately.
Margarethe: You can't do that! The contract gives us sixty days notice!
Robert: Section twelve of your mortgage agreement includes a moral turpitude clause, Mrs. Sterling. Criminal activity on the premises voids the grace period. You have twenty-four hours to pay the balance in full, or the bank will initiate foreclosure proceedings.
The line went dead with a sharp click.
Margarethe dropped her phone onto the white marble table, her hands shaking uncontrollably as her face drained of all color[cite: 1].
Julian: Mom... Mom, what did he say?! What about my speedboat?! What about our credit line?!
Margarethe: Shut up, Julian! Just shut your mouth!
Julian: How did they hear us?! Who recorded the dinner?!
Margarethe remembered the small pearl pin pinned to Chloe's jacket lapel—the way the girl had adjusted it right before walking out the front door.
Margarethe: The pin... the little diamond pin on her collar... it was a live microphone!