Chapter 5 - The War for Sterling Enterprises
Mark hadn't just been target of a personal feud; he was the victim of a multi-million-dollar corporate takeover.
Sterling Enterprises was a massive bio-tech defense contractor founded by Mark’s father. Mark owned the controlling 51 percent majority stake, while Marcus held 20 percent, and the remaining 29 percent was held by public shareholders and board members.
Under the company’s charter, if Mark died without a designated power of attorney, his voting shares automatically defaulted to his older brother until his estate completed probate—unless Mark had signed a pre-existing trust document granting full power of attorney to me.
And that was why Mark had warned me two nights ago: “If anything strange happens at the company tomorrow, don't sign a single thing for Marcus.”
Mark knew Marcus was planning something. He just hadn't realized his own brother would go so far as to bury him alive.
"Captain Vance," I said, standing up and laying Chloe gently on the hospital sofa. "Marcus is going to try to execute those shares at the emergency board meeting tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM."
"He’s already called the meeting," Captain Vance confirmed. "He informed the press that Mark is dead and that he is stepping in as CEO to stabilize the company's stock price."
"Can we arrest him now?" I demanded.
"We have circumstantial evidence, Mrs. Sterling," Vance admitted frustratedly. "Dr. Stevens has fled the country on a private charter flight to Mexico. Marcus’s lawyers are claiming Marcus was completely misled by Dr. Stevens and genuinely believed his brother was dead. Without direct proof that Marcus ordered the toxin or knew Mark was alive, a judge won't issue an arrest warrant for attempted murder."
"Then we need to give him that proof," I declared, my voice hardening into pure steel.
"How?" Captain Vance asked.
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I turned and walked over to Mark’s bedside, looking down at his chest, which was finally rising and falling in a steady, natural rhythm as the anti-toxin serum did its work.
"Because Marcus thinks Mark is still in a deep coma," I said. "He doesn't know that Mark is waking up."
