Chapter 8: B: The Blackmail Attempt

👉 Previous Decision: You chose to demand Arthur pay you a financial settlement to keep the bank statements private.

I stood before Arthur, my breath catching in my throat. The cameras flashed, the reporters shouted questions. This was my leverage.

“Arthur,” I said, my voice tight with a desperate bravado. “These documents prove everything. Apex Analytics, the offshore transfers, the severed floor. I want a settlement. Enough to disappear, enough to start over. Otherwise, these go to every news outlet here.” I held up the folder, a stack of papers visible within.

Arthur’s frozen expression shifted. A slow, chilling smile spread across his face. He pulled a small, silver recorder from his jacket pocket. It had been running the entire time.

“Extortion,” he said, his voice loud and clear, projected to every microphone. “A clear attempt at blackmail by a disgruntled former employee. Ladies and gentlemen, you just witnessed a crime.” He looked directly into the cameras. “This young man has been attempting to extort me for weeks, fabricating documents to tarnish my reputation. This is exactly what I warned you about.”

The reporters, initially confused, quickly turned their microphones to Arthur, then to me. His public relations team moved in, creating a wall between me and the cameras. The police, already on standby due to the commotion, moved swiftly.

“Leo Albright, you’re under arrest for attempted extortion and corporate libel,” an officer stated, his voice firm. My hands were cuffed behind my back. My supposed leverage had become a weapon against me, my legal standing collapsing into nothing. Arthur Halloway stood victorious, his smile serene.