Chapter 8 - The Cost of Cruelty
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Terence walked to the edge of the stage. He looked down at Preston Pemberton, who was clutching his chest, his eyes glazed with the realization of total, catastrophic ruin.
"One point four billion dollars," Terence said, his voice dropping into a register that made the crystal wine glasses on the tables vibrate. "That was the valuation Washington Capital agreed to inject into your debt-laden commercial real estate portfolio at midnight tonight."
Preston fell to his knees on the carpeted steps of the stage, oblivious to the dozens of smartphone cameras recording his humiliation. "Terence... please. Have mercy. The company... seventy years of family legacy... we will be liquidated..."
"You should have thought about your legacy before you raised a sociopath," Terence said mercilessly.
Terence reached into his breast pocket, pulled out the thick, leather-bound contract containing the partnership agreements, and held it high above the crowd. With slow, deliberate force, he gripped the edges and ripped the entire document in half.
The sound of the tearing paper echoed like gunshots through the ballroom.
He dropped the shredded halves at Preston’s knees.
"The deal is dead," Terence announced to the entire room. "Furthermore, as of three minutes ago, Washington Capital has exercised its right of first recall on all short-term commercial paper held against Pemberton Enterprises. We are liquidating your credit facilities."
Terence turned to Marcus. "Call our trading desk in London. The moment the markets open, short Pemberton Enterprises across every index. Dump every bond. Every share. Cut every throat that attempts to float them a lifeline."
"Right away, sir," Marcus replied, his fingers already flying across his device.
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"Terence, no!" Preston wailed, tears streaming down his wrinkled cheeks. "That will destroy us! We’ll be bankrupt by Tuesday morning! You’re wiping out three generations of work!"
"My mother worked three jobs for thirty-five years to put me through school, Preston," Terence looked down at him with eyes devoid of humanity. "You wiped out your own legacy in three seconds of unchecked arrogance."
