Board Member 2: Miss Sterling, where is Arthur Vance? He was supposed to chair this meeting.
Evelyn: Arthur Vance resigned his position at six thirty this morning.
A wave of hushed chatter rippled through the boardroom.
Board Member 2: Resigned? But he holds forty percent of the equity!
Evelyn: He held forty percent. The Sterling Group acquired those shares to cover his offshore liabilities.
Board Member 3: Offshore liabilities? Are you saying Vance was embezzling?
Evelyn: The audit papers are inside the folder in front of you. Read them yourselves.
Richard distributed copies of the audit report to every member sitting around the long table.
Richard: Over the past three years, twelve million dollars were funneled into shell accounts registered in the Cayman Islands under Tiffany Vance's name.
Board Member 1: His daughter? The head of marketing?
Evelyn: Former head of marketing. She was just escorted from the premises.
Board Member 3: My God... this would have bankrupted us if it went public!
Evelyn: Which is why I bought out the firm privately before the SEC stepped in.
Board Member 2: So what happens to the Vance estate now?
Evelyn: Full liquidation. Their family mansion in the Hamptons, their private yacht, and their penthouse are being seized to repay the missing capital.
Meanwhile, on the forty-eighth floor, Tiffany was frantically stuffing her designer items into a cardboard box. Her hands were shaking violently as she reached for her smartphone.
Tiffany: Dad! Pick up the phone! Dad!
The call went straight to voicemail.
Voicemail: You have reached Arthur Vance. Please leave a message.
Tiffany: Dad, where are you?! Security is throwing me out! That woman in the grey suit bought the company!
Suddenly, three federal agents in dark suits walked into her office, accompanied by the building's head of security.
Agent Miller: Tiffany Vance?
Tiffany: Who are you? You can't be in my private office!
Agent Miller: I am Agent Miller with the Financial Crimes Division. We have a warrant for your arrest.
Tiffany dropped the cardboard box. Her expensive glass award shattered against the hard wood floor.
Tiffany: Arrest?! For what?! I didn't do anything wrong!
Agent Miller: Corporate fraud, wire fraud, and grand larceny involving the Sterling Group accounts.
Tiffany: That was my father! I didn't sign anything!
Agent Miller: Your signature is on thirty-two wire transfers, Miss Vance. Put your hands behind your back.
Tiffany: No! This is a mistake! Call my lawyer!
Agent Miller snapped metal handcuffs around Tiffany's wrists. The cold steel bit into her skin, forcing her to realize the party was finally over.