Chloe pulled her sleek silver smartphone from her purse with trembling fingers.
Ethan: Put the call on speaker, lay the phone on the table, and do not make a single sound that alerts him.
Chloe placed the phone down next to the untouched plate of lobster risotto, her breath shallow and ragged.
She tapped the contact labeled 'Julian' and hit dial, the hollow ring echoing through the private dining room.
After three rings, a sharp, impatient voice filled the room.
Julian: Chloe? Did he give you the ring? Is the contract signed?
Chloe swallowed hard, looking up at Ethan’s cold, unblinking eyes.
Chloe: Yes, Julian. He... he just slid the ring across the table.
Julian: Excellent. Did he sign the pre-proposal joint agreement rider?
Chloe: He signed it. Both copies are in my leather folder.
Julian let out a triumphant laugh through the speaker, the sound grating against Ethan’s ears.
Julian: I knew the arrogant fool couldn't resist a pretty face. He thought he was marrying an innocent angel.
Chloe: Julian... where are you right now? The private security guards never showed up.
Julian: Forget the guards. I’m at the private hangar at Midway Airport. As soon as you walk out of Vance Tower, take a taxi directly to Gate Four.
Chloe: Are we flying to Zurich tonight?
Julian: As soon as the wire transfer clears at midnight. Richard has already signed over his proxy voting block for tomorrow's board vote.
Chloe: What about my mother's hospital debts, Julian? You promised you would pay them off before we took off.
Julian scoffed loudly on the other end of the line, his tone turning dismissive and cruel.
Julian: Your mother’s bills can wait until the probate court freezes Ethan’s estate. Stop being so sentimental, Chloe. You did your job. Now get to the airport before Ethan gets suspicious.
Ethan: I'm afraid Mr. Vance is already very suspicious, Julian.
The phone line went dead silent, the background airport noise suddenly vanishing into a frozen pause.
Julian: Vance? How long have you been on this line?
Ethan: Long enough to record every single word of your corporate extortion scheme, Julian.
Julian: You think this recording means anything? You have no legal standing! Chloe is my wife! Any joint property agreement she signs is legally invalid anyway!
Ethan: That might be true in civil court, Julian. But in federal criminal court, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and corporate espionage carries twenty-five years in federal prison.
Julian: You can't touch me! My plane takes off in ten minutes!
Ethan: Look out the hangar window, Julian. What do you see on the tarmac right now?
There was a loud crash on the other end of the line, followed by the distant wail of multiple police sirens.
Julian: What did you do, Vance? What did you do?
Ethan: I called the Port Authority Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation forty minutes ago. Mark Stevens gave them your flight manifest and offshore account routing numbers before he walked into this dining room.
Shouts in the background grew louder through the phone receiver: 'Federal agents! Step away from the aircraft with your hands up!'
Julian: Chloe, you treacherous little viper! You set me up!
Chloe: Julian, no! I didn't—
The call cut off with the loud thud of a dropped phone and the click of handcuffs echoing through the speaker before the line went dead.
Chloe stared at the black phone screen, her lower lip quivering uncontrollably.
Ethan: He was never going to take you to Zurich, Chloe. He was going to leave you here to face the grand jury alone.
Chloe: Ethan... please... I have nobody left. My mother is dying in that municipal hospital ward.
Ethan: You had me, Chloe. You had the most loyal man in this entire city. But you chose greed instead.
Two uniformed police officers walked into the dining room, badges gleaming under the crystal chandelier.
Officer Hayes: Mr. Vance? The transport car is waiting downstairs for the female suspect.
Ethan: Take her away, Officer Hayes. Ensure she is held under direct supervision until the federal prosecutor arrives.
Chloe sobbed openly as the officers took her by her arms, leading her past the mahogany doors she had entered as a future billionaire's wife.
Ethan turned his back to the doors, staring out at the silent city skyline as the rain began to fall in sheets against the glass.
Mark: We need to prepare for tomorrow morning, Ethan. Richard still holds the proxy cards.
Ethan: Let him hold them, Mark. Tomorrow morning, Richard is walking straight into his own execution.