Chapter 13 - The Ultimatum
Two weeks after Evan’s arrest, the corporate restructuring of Bennett Meridian Logistics was finalized under my absolute control. The board of directors had been purged of anyone loyal to Evan’s corrupt regime, and Marcus Vance was officially appointed as my Chief Operating Officer.
I sat in my grand office overlooking the Raleigh skyline, reviewing the philanthropic foundation I had established in Noah’s memory—*The Noah Bennett Pediatric Health Initiative*—dedicated to funding emergency research and immediate medical care for children suffering from fulminant infections.
My phone buzzed on the mahogany desk. It was an encrypted call from David Vance at the federal prosecutor's office.
I swiped answer. "Go ahead, David."
"Good afternoon, Claire," David said professionally. "We finished our second round of depositions with Evan this morning. He’s completely broken. He realizes he’s facing decades in federal prison with zero support from his family or former associates. However, his defense attorney has submitted a formal plea bargaining request.
"What is he offering?" I asked, my voice devoid of emotion.
"He wants to plead guilty to all counts of wire fraud and embezzlement in exchange for a recommended sentence of fifteen years instead of thirty-five, and he’s willing to sign a total, unconditional waiver forfeiting any future civil claims against your estate or the corporate trust."
I looked over at the framed photograph of Noah smiling beside his soccer ball on my desk. "Fifteen years isn't enough, David. He traded our son's life for a weekend of luxury. Every day he spends breathing free air is an insult to Noah's memory.
"I understand your anger, Claire, but from a legal standpoint, a guilty plea avoids a protracted trial that could drag your name and the company through months of public tabloid sensationalism," David advised gently.
I sat in silence for a long moment, weighing the scales of justice in my mind. "Tell him I will accept the plea deal on one condition."
"What condition?"
"Before he signs the plea agreement, he must record a public video confession, broadcast across all corporate channels and submitted to federal court records, detailing every single lie, every fraudulent transaction, and every betrayal he committed—including his exact whereabouts and actions on the night our son died."
May you like
David paused on the other end of the line. "That will utterly destroy any remaining shred of his dignity or reputation. He will be universally reviled.
"Good," I replied coldly. "That was always the plan."
