👉 Previous Action: With complete evidence in hand, Marcus scheduled an emergency internal audit broadcast during Aetheris Tech’s annual shareholder gala.
The Aetheris Tech annual shareholder gala was in full swing. The ballroom glittered under crystal chandeliers, hundreds of esteemed guests mingling, their laughter and conversation echoing against the high ceilings. Evelyn, radiant and commanding, held court near the main stage, surrounded by influential board members.
Then, the house lights dimmed. A hush fell over the crowd as the CEO stepped to the podium, beginning his opening remarks. But just as he started, Marcus Lindqvist, crisp in a dark suit, walked onto the stage, a secure tablet in his hand.
The CEO looked visibly annoyed. “Mr. Lindqvist, this is highly irregular. We have a schedule to maintain.”
“An emergency internal audit has been initiated,” Marcus announced, his voice carrying clearly through the professional sound system. He gestured to a massive screen behind him, which flared to life, displaying the Aetheris Tech logo. “This audit requires immediate attention, given the nature of the findings.”
A ripple of murmurs spread through the audience. Evelyn, now standing rigidly, her smile gone, caught Kien’s eye from across the room. Her expression was unreadable.
Marcus wasted no time. “Aetheris Tech has been systematically exploiting its lead engineers through a proprietary memory-severance protocol, specifically targeting one of its most brilliant minds, Mr. Kien Doan.”
He began to read from the recovered text message thread, each word a hammer blow. He projected Evelyn’s messages onto the screen: “His financial vulnerability ensures compliance. Guardianship over IP rights secured.” “Full harvest of neural architecture by Q3.” “He’s emotionally fragile. Maintaining memory severance ensures optimal productivity without personal interference.”
The opulent ballroom fell into a stunned silence. Guests exchanged horrified glances. Kien watched as Evelyn’s face drained of color. Her perfect composure shattered, replaced by a mask of raw, visceral fear.
“These messages,” Marcus continued, his voice ringing with authority, “detail a deliberate, years-long scheme by Executive Evelyn Brooks-Doan to exploit her husband, Kien Doan, for his neural network designs, while legally suppressing his personal identity to prevent his awareness of this theft.”
A reporter, breaking the stunned silence, shouted, “Is this true? Corporate identity theft?”
The CEO, pale and flustered, tried to interject, “This is an internal matter, not for public consumption!”
But it was too late. Marcus continued, his voice unwavering, presenting evidence of federal and international intellectual property law violations. The live feed, broadcast to all Aetheris employees globally, now showed not just Marcus, but also a split screen displaying the damning text messages in excruciating detail.
As Marcus concluded, the ballroom doors burst open. Federal agents, in dark suits, streamed in. They walked directly towards Evelyn, who stood frozen, her eyes wide with terror, the last vestiges of her power crumbling around her.
“Evelyn Brooks-Doan,” an agent stated, his voice clear, “you are under arrest for corporate fraud, intellectual property theft, and identity exploitation.”
Evelyn, still speechless, her shoulders slumped, offered no resistance as they placed her in handcuffs. She glanced one last time at Kien, her eyes devoid of their former warmth, now filled only with a cold, desperate plea. Kien met her gaze, his own expression unwavering. There was nothing left to say.
➡️ Read CHAPTER 16 to continue the story
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