Chapter 6 - The Hidden Trap
I stood frozen under the streetlights as Victor Sterling’s words hung in the chilly night air.
On our second anniversary, under the influence of romance and a naive desire to make Julian feel like an equal partner, I had gifted him a 20% non-voting equity stake in Greer Vale Holdings. Or at least, I thought it was non-voting.
My heart hammered against my ribs, but my face remained an unreadable mask. "Those were non-voting shares, Victor. They carry no administrative power, and they cannot be pledged as collateral without my express written consent."
"Ordinarily, yes," Victor said, taking a step closer, pulling a sleek tablet from his coat pocket and displaying a digitized document. "Except Julian signed a restructuring covenant with me six months ago. He claimed he had full power of attorney over your personal portfolio while you were recovering from your surgery in London. He forged your digital authorization, Amelia."
I remembered that surgery—a minor procedure that kept me out of the country for three weeks. Julian had managed my personal mail during that time.
"That’s bank fraud and forgery," I said coldly. "The contract is legally void."
"It is," Victor agreed smoothly. "If you take it to court. But a legal battle over the legitimacy of a 20% stake in Greer Vale Holdings will take years. It will trigger a forensic audit by the SEC, freeze your international credit lines, and plunge your company's stock into a death spiral. Do you really want the public to know that your ex-husband forged your signature to hand your father's enemy a knife to stab you in the back?"
I took a deep breath, collecting my thoughts. Victor didn't want a court battle any more than I did; he wanted control.
"What are your terms, Victor?"
"Sell me Cross Meridian for fifty cents on the dollar," Victor demanded, his smile vanishing, replaced by pure corporate malice. "Give me the logistics division, and I hand back the 20% forged stake and walk away. Give it to me, or I file the equity claim with the New York Stock Exchange tomorrow morning at opening bell."
I looked at him, my mind racing through thousands of corporate variables in seconds. He thought he had me cornered. He thought that because I was young and recently divorced, I would panic and sacrifice a subsidiary to protect the parent company.
"You have until 5:00 PM tomorrow, Victor," I said quietly. "I'll give you my answer then."
May you like
"Don't make the wrong choice, Amelia," Victor said, turning back toward his SUV. "Your father thought he was invincible, too."
As his car drove away into the Chicago fog, I turned to Marcus. "Get Arthur Vance on the phone. And tell him to find Julian Cross. Now."
