Chapter 15 - A Desperate Kidnapping Attempt
Two weeks after the verdict, the dust was finally beginning to settle over Sterling Global Logistics. I sat in my father's old corner office on the top floor, signing restructuring documents and preparing for the company's triumphant rebranding ceremony. Uncle Thomas had officially assumed his role as chairman of the board, helping me steer the empire back toward its founding values of honor and integrity.
It was late evening, around 9 PM. The office was quiet, save for the hum of the HVAC system and the distant twinkle of city lights outside. My phone rested silently on the desk.
Suddenly, the private security intercom on the wall buzzed shrilly. I pressed the talk button. 'Speak.'%
'Claire, we have a security breach on the private executive elevator level,' the head of corporate security said, his voice tense and rushed. 'An unidentified individual bypassed the biometric scanner using a cloned master credential belonging to... Richard Sterling.'%
My blood ran cold. Richard was locked in a secure medical facility under police watch; his credentials should have been deactivated weeks ago.
'Lock down the floor!' I ordered, standing up instantly and reaching for the heavy brass letter opener on my desk. 'Call local police!'%
Before the security guard could reply, a loud crash echoed down the private hallway outside my office. The heavy oak door burst open with explosive force.
Standing in the doorway, breathing heavily, wild-eyed, and holding a heavy steel pipe, was not Richard, and not Viktor. It was Julian.
He had somehow posted bail during an appellate technicality window, and his mind had completely snapped. His tailored suit was wrinkled and stained, his eyes bloodshot and unhinged.
'Julian... you're out of your mind,' I said, stepping backward slowly behind the heavy mahogany desk.
'You ruined me, Claire!' Julian screamed, his voice cracking into a manic shriek as he advanced into the room, dragging the steel pipe across the polished floor with a screeching metal sound. 'You took everything! My money, my status, my freedom! If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me!'%
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He lunged forward across the desk, raising the pipe high into the air.
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