Chapter 2 - The Freeze
Across town, inside the glass penthouse office of Sterling Logistics, the reality was collapsing faster than Julian could comprehend.
After hanging up on me, Julian had spent ten minutes pouring Victoria a glass of twenty-year-old scotch. He had patted her hair, kissed her forehead, and told her that I was simply a bitter woman who was afraid of losing her youth. Victoria had giggled, wrapping her arms around his waist, boasting about how she had put me in my place.
Then the elevator doors on the executive floor had opened.
Two uniformed Cook County Sheriff’s deputies stepped out, accompanied by a process server wearing a crisp gray suit. They didn't ask for permission. They walked straight past the administrative desks, ignored the legal department's front desk, and pushed open the heavy mahogany doors of the CEO's office.
"Julian Sterling?" the process server announced loudly, his voice carrying clearly into the open-plan office space where fifty employees were sitting at their cubicles.
Julian pulled away from Victoria, his face flushing dark red. "What is the meaning of this? Get out of my office before I have security throw you out!"
"You've been served, Mr. Sterling," the officer said, placing a massive white envelope directly onto the glass desk. "This is an emergency ex parte injunction issued by Judge Eleanor Vance. All personal and corporate accounts associated with Sterling Logistics, Sterling Holdings, and your personal asset portfolio are frozen pending an emergency receiver hearing tomorrow morning at nine AM."
Victoria sneered, taking a step forward. "This is ridiculous! Do you know who he is? He’s the CEO!"
"Not anymore," the officer replied calmly, pulling a second document from his briefcase. "This is a notice of emergency board action. As seventy percent shareholder of Sterling-Vane Capital, Mrs. Sarah Sterling has invoked Section 4-B of the corporate charter. She has suspended your executive privileges immediately."
Julian’s face went completely white. His hand shook as he picked up the papers.
He flipped frantically through the pages until his eyes landed on the signature page.
Sarah Sterling, Managing Partner.
"No," Julian muttered, his voice cracking. "No, she can't do this. The board won't allow it!"
"The board has already been notified, sir," the server added. "Your primary lender, First National Bank, was served thirty minutes ago. Your corporate line of credit—the eighty-million-dollar facility you use for daily fuel and transport logistics—has been locked."
At that exact moment, Julian’s desk phone began to ring.
It wasn't one line. All six corporate lines began flashing red simultaneously.
Julian slammed his hand down on the speakerphone button. "What?!"
"Julian!" the voice of his Chief Financial Officer, Robert, screamed through the speaker. "What the hell is happening?! First National just rejected our fuel clearance wire for the Midwest division! Two hundred tractor-trailers are sitting at fuel stations in Ohio and Indiana, and the drivers' corporate cards are being declined! The dispatchers are panicking!"
"Tell them to wait!" Julian panicked, sweat breaking out across his forehead. "Use the emergency backup account!"
"I tried!" Robert shouted back. "The backup account was drained fifteen minutes ago by court order! The bank says Sarah's trust fund executed a clawback clause! Julian, who is running this company?!"
Julian stood frozen behind his desk, looking at his reflection in the dark glass window.
He looked at Victoria, who was now staring at him with wide, frightened eyes, her scotch glass trembling in her hand.
"Julian..." Victoria whispered, her arrogant demeanor evaporating instantly. "What does this mean? My private account... my housing allowance card... it’s going to be fine, right?"
Julian didn't answer her. He grabbed his personal cell phone with trembling fingers and dialed my number again.
When I finally picked up on the fifth ring, I didn't say hello.
"You had five minutes, Julian," I said calmly over the speakerphone.
"Sarah!" Julian shouted, his voice laced with pure, desperate fury. "Are you insane?! You're destroying the company! There are two hundred trucks stranded on the highway right now! Do you have any idea how much money this is costing us every minute?!"
"It isn't costing us anything, Julian," I replied smoothly, looking out at the Chicago skyline from my attorney's office. "It’s costing you. Sterling-Vane Capital has already cleared a separate ten-million-dollar emergency credit line directly to the logistics division drivers. The drivers have received text notifications on their private phones. They are operating under my authority now."
Julian gasped, grabbing the edge of his desk to keep his balance. "You... you contacted the drivers?"
"I built the driver network, Julian," I reminded him softly. "I know every regional manager by their first name. They don't work for you. They work for the woman who pays their healthcare."
"Sarah, please," Julian’s voice suddenly turned soft, desperate, and sickeningly sweet. "Let’s talk about this. Victoria was wrong. She went too far! I’ll fire her right now! I'll have security drag her out of the building!"
Victoria’s head snapped toward Julian, her eyes wide with shock. "Julian! What are you saying?!"
I listened to their panicked voices over the line, feeling nothing but a cool, detached satisfaction.
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"You had five minutes to bring her to my lawyer's office to apologize," I said. "Now, you can explain everything to the board of directors tomorrow morning. Make sure you wear a nice suit, Julian. It might be the last one you own."
I hung up the phone.
