Chapter 8 - The Clean Sweep
Four weeks later.
The restructuring of Crestview Holdings was completed ahead of schedule.
Under my direct leadership, the firm shed its fraudulent offshore liabilities, secured the sixty-million-dollar investment from the Singapore consortium, and increased its market valuation by twenty-five percent.
I sat in the corner office on the forty-fifth floor—the office that used to belong to Ethan.
The heavy mahogany furniture had been removed, replaced by sleek, modern white marble desks, soft leather seating, and vibrant green plants. The air smelled of fresh jasmine, not cedarwood cologne and stale smoke.
Arthur Pendelton walked into my office, carrying two copies of the finalized divorce decree and the federal plea agreement.
"Ethan’s legal team accepted the plea bargain forty-five minutes ago," Arthur reported, setting the documents down in front of me. "He pleaded guilty to twelve federal counts of wire fraud and grand larceny."
"What is his sentence?" I asked, picking up my pen.
"Twelve years in federal prison," Arthur answered cleanly. "With no possibility of parole for eight years. All his personal assets have been permanently forfeited to the court to satisfy the restitution fund owed to Crestview Holdings."
"And Chloe Vance?"
"She accepted a six-month deferred sentence with five hundred hours of community service, provided she surrenders all property, jewelry, and vehicles purchased with stolen company funds," Arthur added. "I believe she took a job as a receptionist at a small dental clinic in suburban Ohio yesterday."
I nodded slowly, holding the fountain pen over the signature line of the divorce decree.
For seven years, my name had been tied to Ethan Sterling. I had spent my twenties working in his shadow, letting him take the public credit for algorithms and strategic models that I had designed in our small apartment.
I lowered the pen and signed my name cleanly across the paper: Mabel Vance.
I used my maiden name—the name that had always belonged to me.
May you like
"Congratulations, Chairwoman Vance," Arthur said, bowing his head respectfully as he retrieved the signed decree.
"Thank you, Arthur," I said, offering him a warm, calm smile. "Please inform the board that our international quarterly meeting will begin at two o'clock."
