Julian: Your... your brother?
Man in Grey Suit: You thought you could bully your way past my family trust just because you bought a VIP ticket?
Julian: Arthur... I didn't realize it was you. My brother made a mistake—
Arthur: Your brother is a public menace who needs to learn his place.
Marcus: Julian, don't just stand there apologizing to him! Call the police!
Arthur: Go ahead, Marcus. Call the police and let them review the airport security cameras showing you cutting the line and assaulting that elderly woman.
Marcus froze instantly, his hand hovering over his phone as the threat registered in his brain. The airport security cameras were mounted directly overhead, capturing every single arrogant sneer and unprovoked shove he had doled out over the last ten minutes. Julian looked frantically between Arthur and his brother, realizing that a police investigation would expose the massive financial fraud their family business was currently drowning in. A public arrest right now would trigger an immediate audit of their corporate trust fund and send their stock prices into a tailspin before the merger could close.
Julian: Arthur, let's not make a scene in front of the entire airline staff. We can settle this in the executive lounge.
Arthur: There is nothing to settle, Julian. Your family empire is already on borrowed time.
Julian: What is that supposed to mean? Our assets are fully secured.
Arthur: Ask your chief financial officer who signed the emergency asset-seizure warrant this morning.
Julian’s knees buckled slightly, the arrogant veneer he had worn into the terminal completely shattering into dust. He pulled his smartphone from his pocket with trembling fingers, dialing his office number with frantic speed while Arthur watched with cold, unwavering amusement. The surrounding passengers leaned in closer, sensing that the private feud was actually masking a massive corporate war that extended far beyond an airport boarding dispute.
Julian: Answer the phone... come on, pick up... CFO's office!
Assistant on Phone: Mr. Vance? Thank god you're calling. The federal marshals are here.
Julian: Federal marshals?! What are you talking about?!
Assistant on Phone: They froze all corporate accounts under a federal grand larceny indictment. Every penny is gone.
Julian dropped his phone onto the floor with a hollow clatter, the screen cracking against the hard tiles as his legs gave out completely. He slumped against the base of the boarding gate podium, staring blankly into space as the full weight of his ruin crashed down upon him. Marcus crawled over to his brother, shaking his shoulder in absolute hysteria while demanding answers that Julian was no longer capable of giving.