Chapter 14 - The Counter-Strike
Later that night, after the twins had fallen asleep, Ethan and Sophie sat in the private study of their residence. Laptops and legal briefs covered the glass coffee table.
"Julian Sterling isn't just trying to bankrupt Vance Global," Sophie said, pointing to a cluster of financial records she had helped Marcus organize. "Look at the timing of these legal filings. Every time Vance Global announced an expansion into community development, Julian’s proxy funds bought short options on your stock."
Ethan leaned closer, examining the screen. "He's trying to trigger a panic among retail investors. If the stock drops below forty dollars a share by Friday, the board will be legally forced to hold an emergency vote to remove me as CEO."
"Then we don't play his game," Sophie declared, her eyes burning with determination. "Julian wants to fight in the dark using anonymous leaks. We need to bring everything into the light."
"What are you thinking?" Ethan asked, intrigued by the fire in his wife's voice.
"A live press conference at the diner," Sophie proposed. "Not at your corporate headquarters where it looks like damage control, but at the diner. We invite every major news network, the school board, and the local community. We lay out the entire history—how you rose from nothing, how Julian tried to destroy your birthright, and how every single dollar donated to the school and community was earned through legitimate business."
Ethan stared at her, impressed by her strategic sharpness. "It’s risky, Sophie. If Julian has another trump card, he’ll throw it at us live on air."
"Then we let him," Sophie replied, placing her hand firmly over his. "Because truth isn't afraid of the spotlight, Ethan. And we aren't alone anymore."
The next morning, the strategy was set into motion. Marcus worked around the clock with forensic accountants to track down the offshore accounts, discovering that Julian Sterling had been secretly operating through a shadowy private equity group named Erebus Holdings.
By Thursday afternoon, rumors of Ethan’s press conference flooded the media. The stock price of Vance Global, which had been plummeting for three straight days, stabilized as investors waited to see what the billionaire tycoon would reveal.
In a hidden penthouse suite overlooking the financial district, Julian Sterling watched the news updates with a bitter sneer. His hands were weathered, his face lined with gray malice.
"He thinks a press conference will save him," Julian sneered to his associate. "Activate Phase Two. Send the media the forged wire transfer documents linking Ethan’s early tech startups to my old offshore accounts. Let's see how his pristine reputation holds up under federal indictment charges."
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"Sir, if we leak those documents, the SEC will investigate us too," the associate warned nervously.
"I don't care about the company!" Julian roared, slamming his cane against the marble floor. "I want Ethan stripped of his wealth, his name, and his family! I want him to know what it feels like to lose everything!"
