Chapter 15 - Under Pressure
The legal offensive against Apex Financial sent shockwaves through Chicago’s financial district.
Within forty-eight hours of filing the RICO lawsuit, news outlets across the country were reporting on the Marcus & Child Center’s crusade against corporate domestic exploitation.
However, power never yields quietly.
On a rainy Thursday evening, Audrey was working late in her office, finalizing witness statements with Clara. Alexander had stepped out to perform an emergency surgery at the city hospital, leaving private security posted on the center’s ground floor.
At 8:30 PM, the building's fire alarm suddenly blared, red emergency lights flashing across the ceiling.
"What’s happening?" Clara panicked, standing up from her chair.
"Stay calm," Audrey said, pulling her phone out. "It’s likely a false alarm, but we follow protocol and head to the secure stairwell."
Before they could reach the office door, it opened abruptly.
Two men in heavy dark jackets and surgical masks stepped into the room. One of them held a heavy steel crowbar, while the other held an encrypted flash drive.
"Audrey Vance," the lead man growled, his voice muffled by the mask. "Hand over Clara’s primary hard drive and sign the withdrawal motion for the Apex lawsuit, or this building burns."
Audrey stepped smoothly in front of Clara, shielding the younger woman behind her back. She didn't flinch. She didn't scream.
"You're too late," Audrey said, her voice dropping into an icy calm that caught the intruders off guard. "The files were uploaded to the Federal District Court server twenty minutes ago. Destroying this office changes nothing."
The man with the crowbar took a menacing step forward, raising the heavy metal bar. "You think you're untouchable because you survived Victoria Vance? You're nothing but a—"
"Drop it!" a stern, commanding voice shouted from the doorway.
Alexander stood in the entrance, his surgical coat covered in rain, holding a heavy metal fire extinguisher. Beside him were two armed city police officers with their service weapons drawn.
"On the ground! Now!" the officers barked.
The two intruders realized they were trapped. They dropped the crowbar and flash drive onto the rug, raising their hands above their heads as the officers forced them to the floor and cuffed them.
Alexander rushed over to Audrey, dropping the extinguisher, his hands hovering over her face and arms in frantic concern. "Audrey! Are you hurt? Did they touch you?"
"I'm completely fine, Alexander," Audrey assured him gently, placing her hands over his shaking knuckles. "They didn't touch us."
Alexander pulled her tightly into his arms, his heart pounding furiously against her cheek. "I got the security alert on my watch during my post-op rounds. I’ve never driven so fast in my life."
"You came," Audrey whispered softly, smiling against his chest. "You always come."
"I will always protect you, Audrey," Alexander swore softly, kissing her lips with a passionate, fierce intensity that made the surrounding chaos melt away. "Always."
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Sophia walked into the room accompanied by the precinct captain. "The arson attempt was cut off at the basement level," she reported. "And the driver waiting outside just confessed—Apex’s Chief Executive Officer personally authorized the hit."
Audrey looked at the handcuffed men being led out by the police. "Apex just made their final mistake. Call the press, Sophia. Tomorrow, we finish this."
