Chapter 8 - The Closing Arguments
In a federal courtroom in Charlotte, Judge Thomas presiding, the gavel came down with a sharp, echoing crack that sealed the fate of Ethan Walker.
"For multiple counts of federal wire fraud, conspiracy, and systematic corporate embezzlement, this court sentences Ethan Walker to eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release," Judge Thomas announced, his voice devoid of sympathy. "Furthermore, full restitution in the amount of three point six million dollars is ordered, to be collected via total liquidation of all remaining personal assets."
Ethan stood at the defense table, his head bowed, his shoulders slumped beneath the weight of his orange jumpsuit. He looked older, gaunt, the sleek corporate persona stripped away entirely, leaving behind only a hollow, broken man.
As bailiffs led him away in handcuffs, Ethan caught a fleeting reflection of himself in the mahogany paneling of the courtroom. He remembered the night of their fifth anniversary—the candlelight, the roasted tenderloin, the red imprint of his hand on his wife's cheek, and the small cream-colored box resting beside his plate.
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He had possessed an empire, a loyal wife, and an unborn child who would have called him hero.
Now, he had nothing.
