Chapter 13 - The Cayman Trap
Twenty-four hours after the jailhouse meeting, Nathan, Margaret, and Sophia Vance gathered in the high-security war room at Apex Headquarters. Tactical server monitors covered the walls, tracking real-time financial flows across global banking networks.
Sophia plugged a secure silver thumb drive into Nathan's main terminal. 'This is the drive Audrey gave us. It contains the master ledger for Vance Global Logistics' shadow accounts in Grand Cayman.'
Maya brought up the data on the primary screen. Encryption algorithms cracked open rows of complex transactions, revealing a massive spiderweb of money laundering, corporate bribery, and illegal short-selling operations targeting tech stocks across North America.
'Look at this,' Margaret said, pointing to a massive transaction flagged in red. 'Three weeks ago... fifty million dollars moved from Vance Logistics to an offshore account owned by Robert!'
'That wasn't a payoff for Robert,' Nathan analyzed, zooming in on the transaction signature. 'That was a temporary loan to keep Hayes Capital afloat just long enough for the wedding to happen. Charles Vance was using Robert’s company as a clearinghouse to short Apex stock.'
'If Apex stock crashed after the scandal, Vance Global would have made over three hundred million dollars on short options,' Sophia added, her eyes burning with cold anger. 'My father was going to bankrupt both Apex AND Hayes Capital in one move, leaving Robert and Audrey to take the criminal fall while he walked away with the profits.'
Nathan stood up, walking to the white board. 'Charles thinks he’s executing the final phase of his short position tomorrow morning when the stock market opens at 9:30 AM. He believes Hayes Capital's liquidation will panic the market.'
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Margaret smiled a grim, dangerous smile. 'He doesn't know I own Hayes Capital now.'
'Exactly,' Nathan said, a brilliant, terrifying spark in his eyes. 'Tomorrow morning, when Charles Vance tries to execute his short order, we aren't going to defend Apex stock. We're going to squeeze him until his entire empire bleeds dry.'
