"Ms. Vance," the chairman said, his voice sharp and formal. "Did your firm verify the origin of the tip submitted by Meridian Holdings?"

Genevieve’s composure visibly cracked. She took a half-step back, her fingers gripping the edge of the row seating. "The commission received a legally compliant petition—"

"A petition based on fabricated metadata and falsified corporate signatures," Daniel finished for her, stepping closer to the podium. "Which means the state has been weaponized to execute a hostile corporate raid on behalf of an overseas proxy."

Marcus chose that exact moment to walk into the hearing room, flanked by two federal marshals carrying a portable data terminal. He marched right up to the chairman's desk and laid down a printed transcript.

"Just intercepted a wire transfer originating from a Cayman account tied to Meridian Holdings," Marcus announced clearly for the entire room to hear. "Depositing fifty thousand dollars into the personal campaign fund of the state oversight director who fast-tracked this audit."

Gasps erupted from the press gallery in the back of the room. Reporters began furiously typing on their laptops, cameras flashing blindingly toward Genevieve as she realized the trap had completely closed around her.

"This is a setup!" Genevieve hissed, turning on her heel toward the exit.

"Stop her," Chairman Thomas ordered the security guards by the door.

Two state troopers immediately stepped in front of the exit, blocking Genevieve's path. She stood frozen in the center of the courtroom, completely isolated, her grand design dismantled in less than twenty minutes.

Daniel looked down at her with cold, unyielding indifference. "You wanted a war, Genevieve. Welcome to the fallout."