Are you coming into the shower with me?” The question left my mouth so casually that for one horrifying second, I didn’t understand what I had just said to the woman standing beside my bed. Then Laura Hayes turned toward me with a clean sheet in her hands, and the look on her face made me realize I had crossed a line I could never buy my way back across.

The executive boardroom on the fortieth floor of Caldwell Tower was silent and tense. Board members sat in hushed, nervous clusters, whispering among themselves about the impending federal investigation.

At precisely 12:00 PM, the double doors swung open. Marcus Vance strode in, impeccably tailored, wearing an expression of feigned sympathy that didn't quite mask his triumphant smirk.

"Robert," Marcus said smoothly, taking a seat at the head of the table. "I’m terribly sorry about all of this. But as acting CEO, we have to protect the company's interests."

Robert sat calmly at the other end of the long mahogany table, his posture upright, his hands completely steady. Behind him stood Laura Hayes, wearing her crisp gray uniform, holding a heavy leather briefcase.

Marcus glanced dismissively at her. "Is the cleaning staff really necessary during an executive session, Robert?"

"She isn't here to clean, Marcus," Robert said quietly. "She's here to audit."

Marcus forced a chuckle. "What is this nonsense?"

"It's the end of your little scheme," Robert replied, standing up and opening a folder. "Over the past six years, you systematically funneled thirty-two million dollars through ghost subcontractors like Apex Holdings. You thought you covered your tracks by framing me and partnering with my ex-wife."

"This is absurd! I’ll sue you for defamation!" Marcus shouted, his face turning pale as he stood up. "You have no proof!"

"He doesn't," a calm, clear voice echoed from the doorway.

Federal agents, led by a senior investigator, stepped into the boardroom, flanked by local authorities. The lead agent flashed a federal badge. "Marcus Vance, you’re under arrest for federal wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy."

As the agents moved in and slapped cuffs on a frantically protesting Marcus, the agent turned to Robert and nodded respectfully. "Thank you for the comprehensive data package, Mr. Caldwell. It saved us months of legwork. Though... we were told an independent forensic accountant compiled these unassailable digital signatures."