Chapter 13: Desperate Measures
By midnight, the news of Ethan Carter’s red-carpet meltdown and Chloe Vance’s illegal financial confession went viral across global media. Carter Group’s stock crashed to zero by the time the morning bell rang.
Inside the empty, dark headquarters of Carter Group, Ethan sat on the floor, surrounded by crumpled financial reports and empty whiskey bottles.
His phone wouldn’t stop ringing.
“Mr. Carter! The bank is repossessing your luxury mansion!”
“Mr. Carter! The tax audit team is raiding our accounting office!”
“Mr. Carter! All factory workers have walked out on strike!”
Ethan clawed at his hair in desperation. He was facing over ninety million dollars in personal liabilities and corporate debt. If he couldn’t find a way out within forty-eight hours, he would be thrown into prison for the rest of his life.
Suddenly, the office door creaked open.
Chloe walked in, wearing dark sunglasses and carrying a leather suitcase. She looked frantic.
“Ethan!” Chloe whispered, rushing to his side. “We need to flee the country! I managed to withdraw five hundred thousand dollars in cash before the bank locked my accounts. We can buy fake passports and escape to South America!”
Ethan looked at the suitcase of cash, a twisted, desperate glint flickering in his eyes.
“Flee?” Ethan muttered, his voice raspy. “Why should I flee like a rat? Carter Group is my legacy! It was supposed to make me a billionaire!”
“Are you insane?!” Chloe screamed softly. “Natalie Sinclair is going to destroy us! If we stay here, we’re going to jail!”
Ethan stood up slowly, grabbing a heavy glass paperweight from his desk. “No… there’s still one way to save myself. If Natalie dies before our divorce is officially registered in the court system, as her legal husband, I inherit her entire fortune!”
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