Chapter 13 - The Husband Who Took Everything
Julian entered Bennett Artisan Foods headquarters with private security and a court order.
The board had appointed him interim executive based on the forged emails suggesting Clara approved the Lake Ashford guarantee.
He claimed the company needed stable leadership while investigators determined whether Clara had concealed financial risks.
Employees gathered in the atrium.
Some looked frightened.
Others looked furious.
Clara arrived with Marcus minutes after Julian.
He stood beneath the company logo she had designed fifteen years earlier.
“This is temporary,” he told the employees. “Operations will continue normally.”
Clara walked through the crowd.
“No, they won’t.”
Julian turned.
Security moved toward her.
Half a dozen kitchen employees stepped between them.
Then managers.
Then office staff.
Nina stood beside Clara.
Julian lowered his voice.
“Don’t make this worse.”
“You removed me from my own company.”
“The board removed you.”
“After receiving falsified evidence from Mercer attorneys.”
“You can challenge it in court.”
“I will.”
He looked exhausted.
“Clara, I’m trying to keep the company alive.”
“You’re trying to hand it to your mother.”
“I’m not working with her anymore.”
“Then who helped you convince the board?”
Julian did not answer.
Clara understood.
“Asterion.”
Adrian had supported Julian’s appointment.
Why?
Perhaps he believed Julian was easier to control.
Perhaps the entire meeting had been another manipulation.
Clara addressed the employees.
“No one is required to resign or take action today. I will challenge the board’s decision legally. Until then, document every instruction involving Mercer Holdings, Asterion Group, Lake Ashford, or company assets.”
Julian’s face hardened.
“You can’t direct employees.”
“I can warn them.”
Security escorted Clara from the building she owned.
Outside, reporters surrounded her.
She made no statement.
At Marcus’s office, they prepared an emergency lawsuit.
Dana called with additional evidence.
The attacker from Chloe’s hotel had regained consciousness.
He admitted being hired through an intermediary connected to Mercer Foundation security.
“Evelyn?” Clara asked.
“He never dealt with her directly.”
“Julian?”
“He identified Julian from a photograph.”
Clara closed her eyes.
“Julian hired them.”
“The suspect claims Julian authorized the operation.”
“To force Chloe into labor?”
“He says the original instruction was to retrieve medical evidence. The drug was added later by another party.”
“Who?”
“He doesn’t know.”
Clara thought of Julian’s face at the estate.
His fear might have been real.
But he had lied so often that truth no longer protected him.
Marcus’s assistant entered.
“Someone is here to see Clara.”
“Who?”
“Chloe.”
Chloe had left the hospital against medical advice.
She entered slowly, supported by a nurse.
“What are you doing here?” Clara asked.
“I remembered something.”
Marcus brought her a chair.
Chloe sat and opened her bag.
“The day of the first procedure, Evelyn made me sign several blank consent pages.”
Clara waited.
“I found copies in Julian’s apartment this morning.”
“You went there?”
“I still had a key.”
She handed Marcus the papers.
One authorized the use of substituted donor material if the designated sample was unavailable.
Another granted temporary parental authority to the Mercer Foundation.
Clara read it twice.
“If you give birth, the foundation can claim decision-making rights over the baby.”
Chloe nodded.
“I didn’t understand what I signed.”
Marcus examined the signature witnesses.
One name stood out.
Julian Mercer.
Chloe looked at Clara.
“He knew.”
The door opened again.
Adrian entered without waiting for permission.
Marcus stood.
“You are not welcome here.”
Adrian ignored him and looked at Clara.
“Julian is moving company funds.”
“Where?”
“To a Mercer Heritage account.”
Nina opened her laptop.
“The board appointment gave him transfer authority.”
“How much?”
“Thirty-one million dollars.”
Clara grabbed her phone.
Adrian stopped her.
“Calling him won’t help.”
“You helped put him in control.”
“I supported the board’s temporary motion because I needed him to move the money.”
Everyone stared at Adrian.
Clara’s voice became cold.
“You used my company as bait.”
“The transfer creates evidence of conspiracy.”
“It also empties my company.”
“The funds are traceable.”
“Unless Evelyn moves them offshore.”
“She won’t.”
“You sound certain.”
“Because Evelyn isn’t controlling the destination account.”
“Who is?”
Adrian looked toward Chloe.
“Sebastian.”
At that moment, every phone in the room received the same breaking news alert.
Mercer Holdings Chairman Julian Mercer Arrested During Attempted International Transfer.
Clara watched the video footage.
Federal agents led Julian from Bennett headquarters in handcuffs.
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Before entering the vehicle, he turned toward the cameras and shouted one sentence.
“Clara, your mother is alive!”
