Chapter 5 - The Fall of Mercer Developments
By noon, the financial markets had reacted.
News leaks regarding the federal freezing of Mercer Developments assets hit Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal simultaneously. Within two hours, stock in Marcus’s subsidiary holdings plummeted into freefall. Institutional investors pulled out their capital en masse, refusing to touch a company tainted by federal fraud investigations and systemic embezzlement charges.
By three o'clock, the board of directors at Mercer Developments had held an emergency conference call, unanimously voting to strip Marcus of his title as CEO, dissolve the executive board, and hand operational control over to court-appointed receivers in an attempt to salvage whatever scraps remained of the company’s reputation.
I sat in Julian’s private office high above Boston, watching the rain begin to clear over the harbor as the late afternoon sun broke through the heavy gray clouds, painting the water in brilliant streaks of gold and copper.
Julian stepped up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin gently on my shoulder.
“It’s done,” Julian murmured against my neck. “The receivers have taken control of the Weston estate. His personal accounts are locked pending civil forfeiture proceedings. By the end of the week, he won't even own the suit he wore to your cousin’s wedding.”
I leaned back against his chest, closing my eyes as the last lingering ghost of my past dissolved completely into the ether.
“I don't feel pity,” I whispered honestly. “Which surprises me. I thought I would feel some lingering sadness for the man I married ten years ago.”
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“That man never existed, Evelyn,” Julian reminded me softly, turning me around so I could look into his eyes. “You were in love with a ghost wearing a tailored suit. The real man was always a coward.”
“I know,” I smiled, reaching up to cup his cheek. “And I’m very, very glad I woke up.”
