Chapter 10 - The Corporate Trap ClosesDaniel tried to find his voice. "Mr. Sterling, please... it’s not what it looks like. We were trying to protect her—"
"Silence," Raymond commanded, and the sheer force of his voice cut Daniel off instantly.
"At 3:15 a.m. this morning," Raymond said, drawing a document from his breast pocket, "your employer, Apex Solutions, received a formal cease-and-desist letter from my firm. Apex Solutions is heavily funded by Sterling Venture Capital. In fact, we own a fifty-one percent controlling stake."
Daniel’s eyes widened in sheer terror. His entire career, his high-paying salary, his stock options—everything was tied to Apex.
"Your employment agreement contains a very specific moral turpitude and intellectual property clause," Raymond continued, holding up the document. "As of 6:00 a.m. today, you have been terminated for cause. Your company laptop, which you used to access Claire’s server, is currently being seized by corporate forensics. Every file you downloaded, every patent you attempted to register under your dummy corporation, has been flagged as stolen proprietary data."
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"You can't do that!" Lorraine shrieked, her voice cracking with desperation. "That’s his livelihood! She’s his wife! What’s hers is his!"
"Under the laws of this state, madam," Raymond said, turning a cold, dismissive gaze toward her, "domestic violence, grand larceny, and corporate espionage do not fall under marital property. You are both completely ruined."
