Chapter 7 - The Accusation
When Maya stepped off the elevator onto the 50th floor the next morning, she was met with a scene of absolute chaos. Security guards were stationed at every door, and executives were shouting over one another in the hallways.
As soon as she reached her desk, two large men in suits stepped in front of her.
“Maya Collins? You need to come with us immediately,” one of them said coldly.
They marched her straight into the main boardroom. The long mahogany table was surrounded by the company’s primary shareholders and board members. At the head of the table sat Julian, his face pale, his jaw clenched so tightly a muscle twitched violently in his cheek.
To his right stood Eleanor Vance and Victoria, both wearing expressions of grim satisfaction.
“What is going on?” Maya asked, her voice trembling as she looked at Julian. “Julian, what happened?”
Julian didn't answer. He looked devastated, his eyes dark with a mix of pain and confusion.
Eleanor stepped forward, throwing a printout of the security logs onto the table. “What happened, Miss Collins, is that you corporate-espionaged this company. The Tokyo merger files were leaked to the press last night. The stock dropped twelve percent in pre-market trading.”
“I didn't do that!” Maya cried out, looking around the room at the cold, judging faces. “I would never do that!”
“The digital footprint doesn't lie,” Eleanor said triumphantly, pointing a manicured finger at the document. “The server room access log shows that your specific security card was the only one used to enter the secure vault last night at 9:14 p.m., right before the leak occurred. Furthermore, we ran a background check on your financial accounts this morning.”
Eleanor turned to the board members. “Just three weeks ago, this woman had forty-seven dollars to her name. The very night she met Julian, an anonymous cash deposit of one thousand dollars was made into her account. And this morning, we tracked a wire transfer of fifty thousand dollars from a shell company registered in Tokyo straight into her bank account.”
Maya felt the air leave her lungs. “Fifty thousand dollars? That’s impossible! I don't have that kind of money!”
“It’s already there, Maya,” Eleanor hissed. “You sold out Julian, and you sold out this company to the highest bidder. Security, escort her out of the building. We are filing criminal charges.”
Maya looked at Julian, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Julian, please. Look at me. You know me. I didn't do this. I swear on Liam’s life, I didn't do this.”
Julian stared at her, his hands clasped tightly on the table. The weight of an entire global empire was crashing down on his shoulders, and the evidence against her was ironclad.
“Julian!” Eleanor snapped. “Order the security guards to arrest her!”
Julian slowly stood up. He looked at Maya’s tear-stained face, then turned his gaze to Eleanor, then to Victoria, who was smiling just a bit too wide.
He took a deep breath. “Security, remove Maya from the premises.”
Maya gasped, her heart shattering into a thousand pieces. Julian had abandoned her. He had believed them.
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“But,” Julian added, his voice ringing across the silent room like a thunderclap, “do not call the police. Not yet. I will handle this investigation personally. Maya, please leave.”
As the guards escorted a sobbing Maya toward the elevators, Eleanor smiled, leaning over to Victoria. “We’ve won,” she whispered. “Julian is finished, and she’s gone.”
