Chapter 18 - The Network
Federal investigators took over the Chad Mercer case.
That made Ethan happy.
Private revenge is exhausting.
Evidence is more efficient.
Chad’s files showed a network of advisors, lenders, executives, and consultants who profited from distressed companies.
Sometimes legal.
Sometimes not.
Sterling’s payments sat in the gray area until blackmail entered the picture.
Martin finally cooperated.
He admitted Chad discovered the hidden trial records during due diligence.
Chad demanded contracts.
Martin agreed.
Brooke knew payments existed.
Not why.
The fire, according to Chad’s messages, was an attempt to destroy archived access logs after he learned Ethan’s audit team had identified Mercer Strategic Advisory.
The lab survived.
The records survived.
So did Luis.
That mattered most to Isabella.
Three months later, Sterling Biotech had a new interim CEO.
Not Ethan.
He refused.
Instead, he installed Dr. Naomi Chen, a former operating executive with a reputation for fixing broken research cultures.
No executive dining room.
Brooke laughed when she heard.
She had taken an unpaid leave while investigators reviewed her role.
She sold her stake in a fashion company.
Moved out of Chad’s condo.
Started therapy.
But Ethan noticed she had stopped asking him to erase it too.
Isabella became very good at interviews.
Not polished.
Better.
People trusted her because she asked ordinary questions.
“Who actually does this job?”
“What breaks most often?”
“What do managers pretend not to see?”
One afternoon, she entered Ethan’s office.
“You have a problem.”
He looked up.
“Only one?”
He frowned.
“Why?”
“And?”
“They start lying.”
He leaned back.
“What do you recommend?”
“I do.”
“They don’t believe you.”
That annoyed him.
Then Isabella placed a folder on his desk.
“Also, somebody in your own company knew about Chad before the gala.”
Ethan stopped.
“What?”
She opened the file.
May you like
A Vance Holdings executive had received a warning email six months earlier.
And buried it.
