“It is done,” Arthur said, gathering the papers.

I stood up and buttoned my coat.

I did not look back at Jared as the guards led him out of the room, his metal shackles scraping against the linoleum floor.

The transition of power at Harlan Media was swift and quiet.

With eighty percent of the voting shares now in my name, I dissolved the old board.

I appointed Marcus as the new Chief Operating Officer.

We spent the first month auditing every department, cutting the bloated marketing budgets that Jared had used to fund his lifestyle.

Courtney Briggs was dropped from our influencer network before the month ended.

Her followers dwindled as the news of the fraud investigation leaked to the press.

She tried to reach me once, calling my office from an unlisted number.

“Shelby,” she had said, her voice sounding young and frightened. “I have a baby to think about. Jared left me with nothing.”

“You chose your path, Courtney,” I said. “Talk to your lawyers.”

I hung up and blocked the number.

I felt no anger toward her anymore, only a cold, empty distance.