Fueled by a bitter, vengeful excitement, Monique collapsed to her knees on the floor, her finger jabbing toward Ernesto as she shrieked, "It was all him! I'm testifying against him! The forged contracts, the falsified project reports at Lewis Group—he orchestrated all of it from the shadows!" Hearing her turn state's evidence, Ernesto cursed under his breath, calling her a deranged hag, and spun on his heel to make a break for it. "Told you, you're not leaving," the bodyguard stated flatly, stepping solidly into his path once more. "Get out of my way!" Ernesto snarled, shoving the man with all his might. The bodyguard staggered aside, and Ernesto saw his chance. He'd only taken two frantic steps, however, when his feet were swept out from under him. He went down hard, face-first, with a sickening crunch. The impact knocked one of his front teeth clean out. "Agh! Damn it!" he groaned, pushing himself up. A coppery taste filled his mouth. When he looked down, he saw the offending tooth lying a few feet away on the polished floor. The person responsible was Gordon, one of the Lewis Group shareholders who had been watching the drama unfold from the crowd. Seeing Ernesto bolt, Gordon had launched himself forward, wrapping his arms around the man's legs in a tackle that sent them both sprawling. "What's the rush, Mr. Mason?" Gordon grunted, holding on tight. "Mr. Mason, we're all respectable people here. Why resort to this?" another shareholder chimed in, stepping forward. "You really shouldn't have, Mr. Mason. You're looking at a very long time behind bars," a third added coolly. Ignoring Ernesto, who was still bleeding from the mouth, several of the men hurried to help Gordon back to his feet. Gordon brushed off his suit jacket and shot a look of pure contempt at the prone figure. "I've been waiting years to do that," he said angrily. "Always lording it over everyone in the boardroom, acting like you're better than us. Pathetic." He then turned toward the stage, his expression turning grave and respectful as he addressed Scott and Chloe. "Mr. Lewis," he said, and the title carried the weight of acknowledgment for both leaders standing there, "Lewis Group can only ever truly belong to the Lewis family." A murmur of agreement rippled through the room, followed by a wave of solid, approving applause from the assembled shareholders and executives.As the applause began to fade, a new group of men entered the venue. Dressed in somber suits, they moved with purpose straight toward Ernesto. The lead agent flashed a badge and a search warrant. "Ernesto Mason, you are under investigation for grand larceny of corporate assets, conspiracy to commit fraud through falsified project proposals, and wire fraud. You will come with us, now." The arrival of the federal agents—likely from the FBI or a financial crimes unit—made the outcome clear to everyone. Ernesto and Monique had conspired to gut the company, and in the end, their partnership had imploded, leaving them both to face the consequences. "Heh. Embezzlement? I didn't do a thing," Ernesto scoffed, a hollow, self-mocking laugh escaping his bloody lips. "Nancy Steffes is in custody and has given a full confession, Mr. Mason. You can save your defense for the courtroom," the lead agent stated coldly, producing a pair of handcuffs. "Don't you dare touch me! Get your hands off!" Ernesto thrashed, trying to pull away. "I haven't lost! How could I possibly lose!" His struggle was futile but frenzied. "All my careful planning, all these years... How could I lose to some... some young girl!" His wild, furious gaze finally landed on Chloe, and his arrogance returned in a desperate surge. "You! What could you possibly understand, Chloe? A simple girl from the sticks. These games are far beyond you. Tell me, who's really pulling your strings? Scott? He's a fool! Too weak and stupid to see what was happening right under his nose for years! Monique played him like a fiddle! He doesn't deserve a company like Lewis Group. It should have been mine! All of it, mine!" Listening to Ernesto's ravings, Monique let out a guttural laugh. "So, Ernesto... answer me one last thing. Was anything you ever said to me in all those years the truth?" Ernesto looked at her, disheveled and kneeling on the floor, and barked a harsh, genuine laugh. "Look at you. Why would I love you? For your charming personality? Or maybe for the way time has treated you? Please." "You... How can you say that to me!" Monique was hyperventilating, and the betrayal was a physical blow. "After everything I did for you!" "Monique." Chloe's voice cut through, calm and clear. "Aren't you still curious about what Mr. Lewis intended to announce tonight?" At Chloe's words, Monique's head snapped toward Scott, a flicker of morbid curiosity breaking through her despair. They had schemed so meticulously to destroy Chloe's reputation at this very event, to prevent that announcement. And now, here they were, utterly ruined. It was over. Yet Chloe was bringing it up again.What had Scott been going to say? To formally hand over the reins of Lewis Group to Chloe, of course. Was Chloe rubbing it in now? Making sure she understood the totality of her defeat? Monique's eyes drifted to the leather portfolio in the lawyer's hand. He had been moments away from making that pivotal announcement before their world collapsed. They had fought so hard to stop it. Now, she would likely never hear the official words, and the irony was a poison deeper than any of Ernesto's lies.