Ten minutes later, the executive boardroom on the top floor of the hotel was quiet and tense.
Julian sat at the end of a long mahogany table, his head buried in his hands as two security guards stood at the doors.
The double doors opened, and Evelyn walked inside, followed by Arthur Vance and a young woman named Maya.
Maya was wearing a simple dark blue business suit, carrying a tablet computer and a stack of financial binders.
Julian looked up, his eyes widening in shock when he saw Maya.
Julian: Maya?! What are you doing here?!
Maya: Good evening, Julian. I am here as the newly appointed Chief Financial Auditor for the Sterling Group.
Julian: Chief Auditor?! You were just an assistant manager in the accounting department last week!
Evelyn: Maya is the person who reported your unauthorized wire transfers to my office three days ago.
Julian: You betrayed me, Maya! I trusted you with those files!
Maya: You asked me to forge corporate tax signatures, Julian. I am an accountant, not a criminal.
Arthur placed a thick blue folder on the table directly in front of Julian.
Arthur: Julian, these documents detail four counts of corporate embezzlement, bank fraud, and falsification of records.
Julian: Mother, please! Don't let them do this to me! I am your only son!
Evelyn: You are my son, Julian, but you are not above the law. You thought because I was living quietly in the countryside, I was blind to your actions.
Julian: I was going to repay every single dollar! I was investing in a new luxury resort project!
Maya: The resort project in the Bahamas was a shell company registered under Chloe's father's name, Julian. We tracked the domain records this morning.
Julian dropped back into his chair, his hands trembling violently.
Julian: Chloe's father lied to me... he told me the land permits were already approved!
Evelyn: You were so desperate to impress a gold-digger and her corrupt father that you almost handed them my life's work.
Arthur pulled a fountain pen from his suit pocket and set it next to the blue folder.
Arthur: You have two choices right now, Julian. Option one: you sign this voluntary resignation letter and surrender all corporate shares back to the trust.
Julian: And if I refuse?
Evelyn: Option two is we hand these exact files to the federal prosecutor waiting downstairs in the lobby right now.
Julian looked at his mother's cold, unyielding face, knowing there was no warmth left in her eyes.
Julian: You would really send your own son to prison?
Evelyn: My husband built this empire with honor, Julian. I will not let you destroy it for a girl in a white dress.
With tears streaming down his face, Julian picked up the pen and signed his name at the bottom of the surrender agreement.