SWNOVELXO Chapter 100: Settlement
Knock! Knock!
Knuckles of a masculine first rapped against a grand office door with a brass nameplate reading Gareth Smithers.
Inside the office, there was a tense silence that lingered before Gareth gave a curt nod to his new secretary, signaling her to open the door.
The moment it swung open, Jonathan Vance strode in with his usual swagger, Daisy Chen at his side, carrying an air of quiet intensity.
Jonathan scanned the room, smirking. "Wow," he said, feigning astonishment, "feels like a state funeral in here."
Seated before them were Gareth Smithers, sat by his table, his daughter Lily, keeping her distance by the shelf and his newly appointed lawyer, Lacey Vane.
Seeing Jonathan, Gareth's expression tightened into a scowl, "You disgusting sellout."
Jonathan chuckled. "Now let's keep it formal here, Mr. Smithers. I might be a sellout, but at least I'm not a thief or a ra— Well, you know the word."
Gareth turned red with rage. Lily glanced down, her fingers gripping the edge of the table. Lacey, calm and composed, met Jonathan's gaze with measured steel.
"That will be enough," she said. "Please go ahead. We agreed to have this meeting."
"Yes, Mrs. Vane. We did."
Jonathan, ever the showman, tapped his files against his palm before introducing himself. "As you know, I am Jonathan Vance and as of yesterday, I am now the legal representative of Darren Steele, Steele Investments, and his employees. And beside me here," he gestured to Daisy, "is Daisy Chen, his legal counselor."
Daisy stepped forward with a voice so tiny yet as sharp and firm as a woman's voice could be. "Our job is to ensure our client's business interests are fully protected — legally and financially. That includes cases of intellectual property theft, contract violations, and any litigation that threatens his company."
Gareth's jaw twitched as he clenched his fists on the table. His narrowed eyes followed their every movement, seething.
When Gareth's secretary offered a chair, Jonathan waved off the offer. "No need. This will be quick." He handed a stack of files to Daisy, who methodically distributed them. The room grew eerily silent as Gareth and his lawyer examined the contents.
On the crisp pages were undeniable pieces of evidence— images of Darren Steele's original business concepts, the very blueprints that had fueled companies to massive profits. Concepts that Gareth had passed off as his own.
Gareth's fingers twitched as he turned the pages. His lips pressed into a thin line, the color draining from his face.
Lily, beside him, wore a guilty frown, her fingers playing with the edge of her sleeve. Across from them, Lacey Vane remained impassive, her eyes scanning the documents with a calculating sharpness.
Jonathan leaned in slightly. "From the VERITÉ magazine release yesterday, we all know your shtick. But no one really knows yet how far you went with it, do they?"
"You had this tactic, Gareth. You would demand the idea drafts from employees as well, to make sure they can't lay claim to the idea itself of course. But my client? He kept drafts of drafts. And by your reaction I can tell that you had no idea." He scoffed. "Do you see what's happening now?"
He gestured toward the files. "Your company was paid to supply original investment strategies. Imagine what happens when those companies discover their investments were built on stolen ideas? That means they sue you. My client, naturally, sues them, and also sure you. That's two lawsuits against you for every stolen idea. And once word gets out, don't be surprised when more employees you've stolen from start piling onto the lawsuits."
Gareth's lips parted, a protest forming, but Jonathan was already a step ahead. "But I'm not finished. Now, let's talk law. Willful infringement of non copyrighted creations, especially for commercial gain? It could be debated, but that's criminal. Fraudulent deception for financial benefit? That's certainly fraud. And in the United States, major theft and intentional sale of properties which was not as the buyer demanded? Oh, that's prison time, Gareth. Up to ten years, if we feel particularly vengeful."
Jonathan's grin widened as he added, "To put it simply; your company is as good as dead. Not even Mooney money will save you this time."
Gareth rubbed his temple furiously, and rested his head on his hands, his pupils constricting. Lacey had told him to stay calm to avoid any of this becoming worse than it already was, but the weight of impending disaster pressed down on him heavily and all he wanted to do was scream.
Lily swallowed hard, her knuckles white as she clutched the file. Lacey's gaze remained unreadable, but even she subtly shifted in her seat.
Daisy stepped forward then, her tone clinical. "Your company's worth currently sits at $860 million. But in the last few days, your stock value has plummeted. This month, your projected profits have already turned near negative due to the revelations Brooklyn Baker released. And that's only the tip of the iceberg. Mr. Steele is prepared to bury you under everything."
"And let us not forget that image on the final file. You never thought that you would be caught, but when you see that picture, I'm sure you'll know who took it."
Gareth turned the page and instantly slammed it shut after. He exhaled heavily, shoulders sagging, eyes wide. His voice, hoarse with anger and fear, was barely above a whisper. "What do you want?"
Jonathan's smirk grew. "Ah. Now we're talking." He snapped his fingers and Daisy slid another document across the table. "For starters: $7 million each will be given to the two women you sexually assaulted. $250,000 per plagiarized employee, and there were twenty of them, by the way. And a $20 million settlement fee to Darren Steele."
Gareth's face turned red. "You smug—"
Lacey gave him a look, a silent warning. Gareth saw it and inhaled sharply through his nose, nostrils flaring, but remained silent.
"And also one more thing." Jonathan's eyes darkened. "My client wants you to let Rachel go. He knows why she was given to you to look after. He says you've failed at it, and he's going to take over. Rachel Teschmacher will be safe in my client's hands. Come for her, and everything... everything will be released."
Gareth's heart sank. 'What's going on here? Does he really know about everything?'
Jonathan leaned in. "You can take your time, but not too much. My client plans to file the lawsuit tonight. I wanted to file it immediately, but what can I say? He's an understanding guy."
Lacey and Gareth exchanged a glance. Lily's silent plea echoed in her mind; 'Dad, please just sign it.'
Lacey inhaled deeply before nodding. "Right now, we need to focus on damage control. We should move to settle."
Gareth's lips curled into a grimace, but he knew he was beaten. He snatched a pen and, with barely restrained rage, signed the papers alongside Lacey. Jonathan scanned them, nodded approvingly, then grinned.
"Pleasure doing business. Not with you, Gareth, but with business itself." He turned on his heel. "Come now, Daisy, let's go."
As soon as they exited, Gareth could finally erupt. With a burst of anger and a yell, he grabbed his mug and flung it at the door.
The door swung open at that exact moment, and Ryan Anders caught the mug midair, unfazed. His eyes swept over the room before he sighed and shook his head.
"You already signed it, didn't you?"
Gareth let out a frustrated grunt. "They left me no choice."
Ryan exhaled sharply. "What kind of idiot signs a settlement without consulting his Wealth Management Office?" He muttered, shaking his head before pulling out his phone. Amelia's name appeared on the screen.
"Sir?" Amelia's voice came through. "I just left Greenbaby now. He's not there, so I'm checking his house in Malegreen."
Ryan rubbed his temple. "Don't bother. Come back to the office."
"But—"
He cut the line.
Amelia frowned at the phone, thoughtful. 'Come back to the office.'
Her heart began to beat hard. She had really wanted to speak to Darren Steele today. To see him at least. She remembered that offer he had made her in his car.
Amelia closed her eyes.
After a moment's hesitation, she made a decision. Instead of returning, she drove on.
Soon, she arrived at Malegreen Street. Pulling up to Darren Steele's house, she stepped out and knocked on the door.
When it opened, it wasn't Darren at the door but a woman.
Rachel Teschmacher stood before her.