CH 11: The Fall of Rome
The U.S Securities and Exchange Commission was the single largest agency of its kind. Its main purpose was to regulate, and enforce, laws of the nation's stock exchange. If you were a publicly traded company on the US stock exchange market, the SEC was your God, and its words were your Holy Bible. And the man behind the SEC was none other than Arthur Rashleigh Bell: the 31st and current Chairman of the SEC.
Arthur Bell was a married man, and the father of two beautiful daughters. To those that didn't know him, he was a man of many talents, and with high powered connections one can only dream of. On the outside, he was an influential man that played by nobody's rules but his own. But those closest to him knew the truth. Arthur Bell, like many high ranking government officials, wore a masquerade. In truth, he was a petty man. Those that stood in his way were deemed a foe. And those that no longer benefited him were expendable.
Many people would give up their first born child to become Chairman of an agency like the SEC, but not Arthur Bell. The SEC was a dead end job. Yes, it afforded him connections, but with all the wrong people. Unlike the US Senate or Congress, where elected officials could always aspire to reach a higher elected office, Arthur Bell was not afforded that chance.
But that wasn't always the case.
Politics was his life blood. He was a politician, through and through. But unfortunately, to win elections, you needed so much more than that. A green and ambitious Arthur Bell was poised to win the 2012 US Senate Election for New York. And he would've won, too, if it wasn't for one person: Rachel Duncan Black.
Rachel Duncan Black was the reason why he failed to clinch the election. But it wasn't solely the defeat that ruined him. It was so much more, and so much worse. He'll never win another election; not in this lifetime. Rachel Duncan Black was the one that banished him to purgatory, and now, after all these years, it was finally time for payback.
As long as Black Crown Corp. remained a privately held company, there was nothing Arthur Bell can do.
But that was about to change.
Arthur couldn't be more elated.
- o -
Everything was a blur. Nothing registered.
Cosima sat there, and she nursed a drink. But that didn't help. It only made her heart race even faster than it already was. The news of Shay's passing struck her harder than any physical impact ever could. But that wasn't even the worst of it. Cosima couldn't get the smell of tainted copper off her hands, no matter how hard she scrubbed, the smell lingered on. It was pungent, and odorous, and it was every bit as maddening. It might be psychological, or it might be guilt, but whatever it was, the scent was driving her to the brink of insanity.
Kára Lang had left her hours ago. Cosima didn't ask her what she did with Shay's body. She didn't want to know, nor did she dare bring it up. She thought about turning herself in. It did cross her mind. And she wanted, too, but she was selfish and weak. If doing the right thing was ever easy, the world wouldn't be in the chaotic state it's in today. Everything was always easier said than done, and this was one of those instances. She hasn't made up her mind yet. And she hasn't spoken with anybody yet, not since the revelation. Her cellphone had too many missed calls to count, too many text messages to read, and too many voicemails to return. So she sat there, and she dwelled.
After God knows how long, the door opened, and in walked Lucifer reincarnated, Kára Lang. She was in a fabulous mood. She had a noticeable hop in her step. And if that wasn't a dead giveaway already, the sly grin etched on her face was another.
"You're going to want to see this."
Kára turned on the television, and clicked away on her iPad. "You see, after our little scuffle, and the whole she-said, she-said situation, I decided to install security cameras throughout the penthouse. You know, in case some other heartless bitch decides to accuse me of assault again."
Cosima didn't even bother to acknowledge that jab.
Kára connected the TV to the Wi-Fi, and brought the video up to the big screen. "Anyways. Enjoy the show."
The clip was short, only a minute and thirty seconds in length. But it was the context, and not the quantity, that mattered.
When the video started, Shay was already on the floor, her back bloodied by the shattered glass of the coffee table. She was still alive. Her lips moved, though no audio was recorded. And there, standing above her, was Cosima. The look on Cosima's face was unreadable. One moment she was standing, and the next, she was crouched on the floor. And that's when it happened. Cosima reached forth, and she removed a jagged shard of glass from Shay's neck. Shay's lips moved, yet again, though this time it wasn't words that were being said, but an apparent scream. Seconds later, Shay stopped moving all together. She laid there, completely lifeless.
And the video ended there.
It was one thing to know what happened, and another to see it play before your eyes.
Cosima's shoulders shot up, and she hurled her stomach contents. The stomach acid burned her throat, and the whiskey stung her eyes.
"Let's cut to the chase, Cosima. I know the location of Shay Davydov's body, and now, I have this damning video of you with said body. Your ass is mine, figuratively and literally, if you haven't figured it out yet."
This woman, this woman that spewed venom from its fangs, this was the real Kára Lang. The charade was gone, and the masquerade was finally off.
But Cosima refused to give in. "Fuck you, Kára! If you think, for even just a second, that I'll let you blackmail me, than you obviously don't know me well enough. I would rather confess and rot in jail, before I let you lay your filthy hands on me, ever again. So whatever the fuck it is you want with me, you can piss off, because it's not happening."
That's where she was wrong. Kára understood her personality perfectly well. She knew this would be her reaction, so she came prepared. Cosima Niehaus Black was selfless. She would rather you hurt her, than those closest to her heart, which is exactly what Kára planned to do.
Kára clicked play on her tablet, and this time, the screen played a slideshow. It was a collection of photos. They were photos of a distraught Rachel; Daniel at work; a snap of Alison taken from afar; a battered Donnie; an unconscious Sarah; a bloodied Paul; Kira during recess; Felix's mugshot; and a tearful Delphine. They played on repeat, again and again, and again.
"Don't you dare go near my family, you fucking cunt! Or so help me God, I'll fucking kill you myself!"
"This isn't about you anymore, Cosima, haven't you realized that yet? I don't want to blackmail you because I want to hurt your family, silly. I want to blackmail you because I want to hurt you." Kára tilted Cosima's face up, and looked her in the eyes, "So either you play nice, and give me the satisfaction I so desire, or I will turn you into the authorities. And slowly, one by one, I'll go after each and every single one of them."
Cosima shook with fear and trepidation at the blatant threat. She, of all people, knew just exactly how unhinged Kára Lang could be.
"I have nothing to lose, Cosima, you made damn sure of that the day you stabbed me in the back."
"What do you want?"
Kára disappeared into the bedroom, and returned moments later with a hanger. "Get dressed. Make yourself presentable. You and I are going to the office. We have a lot of work to do."
"Whatever sick game you're playing, you leave my family out of this." Cosima said through gritted teeth, "This is between you, and me."
"Oh, I will, darling. They're not the ones I want. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get dressed myself." Kára paused in her steps, and said, "I've got a surprise for you later. And trust me, you'll like it. I'll have you begging for more."
- o -
Mount Sinai Hospital was one of the best hospitals in all of Canada. And that's exactly where Delphine found herself.
News of Felix's accident, and subsequent arrest, made the local headlines. The news outlets were having a field day. They didn't have all their ducks in a row, and yet, they wasted no time assassinating Felix's character with their razor sharp words. To those that truly understand, the power of the written word can cut you deeper than any knife ever can.
The two victims were a father and daughter. The daughter had been drinking earlier herself, but chose wisely; instead of driving home, she asked her father to pick her up. They were at the wrong place, at the wrong time.
The initial impact of the crash sent the father flying several meters back, and into oncoming traffic, where he was then subsequently struck by another moving vehicle. The driver of the second vehicle stayed at the scene, and won't likely be charged. The collision was unavoidable on his part, which didn't make him legally liable. The father survived. That was good news on Felix's part, but not for the family. They couldn't determine which impact, or when, but his spinal cord had been severe from the brainstem. The injury was irreversible. The father was declared brain dead after all efforts were exhausted.
And then there was the daughter. Felix's AMG GT caught the daughter on his windshield. And then he rammed his car, with the girl still on the windshield, into a store front. The daughter survived the initial impact, and was currently in surgery. The daughter sustained massive internal bleeding, and her prognosis was bleak.
Delphine felt for Felix, she honestly did. After all these months together, she genuinely cared for him, and his family. Felix needed the daughter to survive. It was the difference between several months in jail with probation, versus the possibility of life in prison for vehicular manslaughter. Felix was currently remanded into custody, pending a bail hearing. Delphine couldn't help him, so she did whatever she could, which was why she was here.
Mount Sinai was the same hospital Sarah was admitted to, too. Delphine was made aware of Sarah's condition, and the ensuing drama, courtesy of Alison. She wasn't close to anybody else, with the exception of Felix and Cosima, but she felt she owed it to Sarah, to see her. A lot of it was guilt. But a small part of her felt like she was truly a part of the Black family now.
According to Alison, every member of the family had been by to see Sarah, at one point or another, with the exception of Cosima. It's been weeks since Delphine last laid eyes on her. She hasn't returned any of her calls, or texts. Delphine knew there had to be a logical explanation, but a tiny voice in her head told her otherwise: she was avoiding you.
The day could not go by fast enough.
Four hours had lapsed of the eight hour operation. Once again, Delphine found herself in the waiting area outside operating theater #3. No news was good news, but not in medicine. It usually meant complications.
And that's when her phone rang. It was from a familiar number, though she did not welcome the call.
The first words out of her mouth was, "I can't talk now."
"Where are you, Delphine?"
"Whatever it is, Arthur, it can wait."
"Don't make me ask again."
Delphine scoffed, "I'm at the hospital. There. Happy?"
"Yes. Pleasantly. I need you to stay put, for the next hour or two."
Delphine's forehead creased, "Why?"
"Just do it. I'll speak with you soon."
And with that, the call disconnected.
Nobody pissed her off quite like her mother, though Arthur Bell was coming in at a close second in that category.
The mother of the victim entered the waiting area.
Delphine noticed her presence here and there, though they've never made eye contact, nor spoken. They both knew who the other person was. A part of her wanted to offer the woman her condolences, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She didn't know what to say; no amount of words could ever console her grief.
The red light outside the operating theater turned off.
The surgery didn't take eight hours, as originally planned.
The girl had died on the surgical table. She died of a cerebral hemorrhage. They couldn't relieve the girl's intracranial pressure, and she bled out from her brain.
The mother's reaction was to be expected. She lost it. In one day, a twenty-four hour period, she lost both her husband, and her only daughter. Delphine was no longer invisible. The mother came at Delphine, and she slapped her with every ounce of agony in her being.
"You bitch! Give me back my daughter!"
The blow was sharp. But it was the heartache that stung the most.
- o -
Shit had not only hit the fan, it's all over the place. So much has happened in recent months, and none of them were good instances. There was simply too much drama, and not enough hours in the day to deal with it. Which was why time was such an important commodity.
News of Felix's arrest has spread faster than a wildfire. Rachel and Alison did everything they could for their youngest brother, though their efforts alone may not be enough. Regardless of their plea, the countless phone calls they made, and his lawyer's best efforts, the Metro Toronto Police had him remanded into custody, pending a bail hearing. Until then, there was nothing anybody could do for him.
Rachel felt like she was being torn in a million directions. She hasn't set foot in Black Crown Corp. for days now. Majority of the workload was delegated to Daniel; he was more than capable. And it's been smooth sailing thus far. That is, until she got an urgent call from him, requesting her presence. And Alison's, too.
Daniel didn't have a sense of humor. This wasn't a joke. This was serious.
"Whatever the fuck it is, this better be good."
"Daniel's never sounded so nerve-wrecked before." Alison commented, "I've got a bad feeling about this."
"Don't start with the rubbish chit-chatter. I don't have the patience for it."
Rachel and Alison parted from the elevator, and they made a beeline for the conference room. They didn't know what to expect, but they most certainly wasn't expecting this.
The room was full of people, but only a few actually mattered. Besides Daniel, Kára Lang, Cosima, Donnie, and lawyers from Pearson Specter Litt, were also in attendance. Alison had jinxed it; Rachel did not have a good feeling about this.
"What's going on?"
Kára gestured, "Please, sit."
"I'll stand." Rachel said flatly. "Whatever this is, it can wait. I don't have time for this nonsense."
"Well, technically, your presence is required, according to Black Crown Corp.'s bylaws."
Rachel and Alison exchanged a confused look.
Daniel explained, "This is a board vote. Kára's called a board meeting, to bring forth a new proposal."
"A board vote?" Alison thought she misheard. "That's preposterous! She isn't even a member of the board. She can't bring forth jack-shit."
"You're absolutely right, Alison, and this is exactly why God created lawyers." Kára signaled for Harvey Specter, "Please."
"As you well know, our firm was the one that drafted Black Crown Corp.'s corporate bylaws. And what Ms. Alison Black said is indeed correct; only members of the board can call a meeting, and bring forth a proposal." Harvey Specter passed out several photocopies, "What you have there is a copy of Ms. Alison's Shareholder Agreement for Black Crown Corp."
"How did you get this?!"
"And if you'll direct your attention to the second document, it's a Share Transfer Contract, signed, yet again, by Ms. Alison Black. In the contract, it clearly indicates that all 10% of Ms. Black's previous holding of Black Crown Corp. will be transferred to Ms. Kára Lang, for an undisclosed sum."
Jessica Pearson, yet another name partner, said, "We have the original documents in our possession. You can review them, if you wish, but we've done our due diligence."
It's as if Rachel had locked eyes with Medusa; she couldn't bring herself to move, much less speak, or react.
"No. This is a forgery! I don't know how you got a hold of my Shareholder Agreement, but that is not my signature! And I most certainly didn't transfer my shares to you, you conniving bitch!"
And that was Donnie's cue. He tapped on Alison's arm, "Honey. I...I'm sure you just forgot. I mean, you've been so busy lately."
"How can I forget something this important?!" Alison swatted Donnie's hand away, but when she did, she also caught a glimpse of his guilt ridden face. It wasn't hard to connect the dots. "No. No. No! Donnie! What did you do?!"
"You can contest the legitimacy all you want, but I assure you, it's the real deal."
Cosima's stoic face did not come close to reflecting the inner turmoil that was brewing within. This was it. This was the beginning of the purge, and neither Rachel nor Alison knew it was coming; nor could they stop it either.
"Let's, for a second, assume this is genuine. You still can't call a vote. You need to give advance notice. There are five of us, but only three are currently present."
"I assure you, Ms. Black, that my client did, in fact, give twenty-four hour advance notice." Harvey Specter passed out several pages, "These are copies of the emails we sent you. And the call logs of our repeated attempts to reach you. Notice was given. You simply did not respond, Ms. Black."
"Sarah's still in the hospital! And Felix is in jail! Of course they're not going to fucking respond!" Rachel's anger flared, "This is a farce, and you know it!"
"Sorry, Ms. Black. But we followed the corporate bylaws to a tee."
"You fucking usurper! Do not forget who your real client is!" Alison screamed, "We're the ones that retained your firm as our legal counsel, not that vindictive bitch, so you better get your shit together!"
Kára raised a hand, "You're giving me a headache. Let's move this along, shall we?"
"What do you want?" Rachel finally asked.
"My proposal: I want to take Black Crown Corp. public. I want to prepare an IPO."
"What?!" A chord of fear struck Daniel, and the color on his face drained, "You can't be serious?! You can't do this!"
"I am. And I can."
This cannot be happening. Their mother intended to keep the company within the family, and every member of the Black family was in agreement. If they took the company public, they'll lose majority control, and that simply cannot happen.
"No." Rachel said firmly, "Black Crown Corp. will not go public."
"I'm afraid it's not up to you." Kára said sweetly, "That's why there's a vote."
"But Sarah and Felix aren't here!"
"That's not my fault. Advance notice was given. It's their prerogative if they choose not to attend. But those not in attendance automatically forfeit their vote. Isn't that right, Mr. Specter?"
"That is correct, Ms. Lang."
"This is a coup." Rachel balled her fist, "I never should've accepted your initial investment. That was a Trojan horse, wasn't it? I'm such an idiot. I led the wolf straight to the henhouse."
The grin on Kára's face said it all.
"Say something, Cosima!" Alison pleaded. "You can't let her do this!"
Cosima said nothing.
"When you're ready, Ms. Lang."
"Go ahead."
Harvey said, "Ms. Lang has proposed to take Black Crown Corp. public, and prepare an IPO. All those in favor?"
Kára raised her hand, "Aye."
"And all those opposed?"
"NO!" Rachel and Alison said in unison.
"Sorry, Ms. Alison. You no longer retain any shares in the company. Your vote is void."
"Then it's a deadlock." Daniel said, "It's one-one. Since the proposal doesn't have majority vote, it doesn't pass."
"That's not true, Mr. Rosen. Ms. Cosima Black hasn't voted yet. And she hasn't forfeited her vote, either."
"Cosima, please, don't do this." Alison begged, "You can't let that madwoman take the company away from us!"
"Well, Ms. Black?"
Cosima locked eyes with Rachel, and she said, "Aye."
Rachel wasn't hurt because of the defeat; she was devastated by Cosima's blatant betrayal.
"The proposal has passed."
Kára clapped her hands, "It might not seem like it, but I do have your best interest at heart."
"Why?" Rachel asked, "Tell me why, Cosima."
Cosima kept her silence.
"You wanted to teach me a lesson, is that it?! An eye for an eye?! If you have any qualms with me, take it out on me, and not the company!"
The brigade of high-priced lawyers upped and left. Kára was by the door, when she called out, "Let's go, Cosima."
Cosima did as she was told by her puppeteer. Her parting words were, "I'm sorry, Rachel."
With a shake of the head, and a scoff, Rachel collapsed in her chair.
"What does this mean, Rach?"
"It means we're fucked, Alison."
- o -
Cosima didn't want to see anybody. She darted straight for her office. And of course, Kára, like a demonic possession, followed.
"Why?! Why can't you leave me the fuck alone?!" Cosima confronted Kára, "This ends now, you psychotic bitch, you hear me?!"
"This isn't over until I say so. This isn't even a fraction of what you subjected me to. You ruined my life when you looked me in the eyes, and you sent me to prison! You knew I was on probation! You knew I was having a rough time dealing with the loss of my mother! Remember how I begged you? I got down on my knees, and I begged you not to press charges. But you didn't care. You kicked me to the curb like I was a piece of trash."
"You beat me to an inch of my life! What the fuck did you expect me to do? Let you walk?!"
"That wasn't me! That was the drugs!"
"I didn't have a choice."
"But you did! You did have a choice!" Kára shouted ferociously, "My father was still grieving from the loss of his wife, and what do you do? You sent his only daughter to prison! You, Cosima, you killed my father! He passed away because of you! Because of the heartbreak you subjected him to! I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. And it's all your fault!"
"You really hate me that much?"
"No." Kára grabbed Cosima by the throat, "I hate you more than that!"
Kára brought both hands up, and she choked Cosima with every ounce of strength she had.
Cosima tried to pry her grip loose, to no avail. She stumbled backwards. She kept retreating till she fell back onto her desk.
The moment she was free from the chokehold, Cosima gasped deeply for oxygen; her lungs wheezed audibly from the strain.
Kára flipped Cosima over, and she bent her over her desk. "Remember that surprise I was telling you about?"
"No! Get off me!"
Cosima struggled, and she flailed, but Kára kept her down by the flat of her back.
This was premeditated. Kára had wanted this from day one. This was about control; and dominance.
Kára lifted Cosima's skirt up, and she savagely ripped her underwear off. She then lowered her pants, and she positioned herself just outside of Cosima's entrance.
Cosima fought back the best she could, but she knew Kára, better than anyone else. If she didn't give her what she wanted, she'll lash out even more. Cosima wasn't concerned for her own safety, it was her family she was worried about. Though Cosima relented, a part of her, the fighter within, wanted to fight off Kára's advances. But she was overpowered. There was nothing she could do.
Kára gagged Cosima's mouth with a strong hand, and she whispered tenderly, "This is just the beginning of your worst nightmare."
With no hesitation, Kára Lang penetrated Cosima anally. It was rough. And so was she. The full length of the phallus entered her, and it sent a jolt of agonizing pain rippling through her body. Cosima screamed, but they were muffled.
Cosima cried in torturous pain as she willfully endured the rape.
- o -
Rachel crashed through those doors harder than a bull in a bullring.
Alison, Daniel, and a decrepit Donnie, followed suit.
"What are you thinking, Rach?"
The gears were churning a mile a minute. But Rachel didn't have a next move. Not yet. "Daniel, I want you to grab Steve and Stephen in Legal. I want their opinion on how to overturn Kára's proposal. I will exhaust every avenue, if necessary, to see that it doesn't go through."
"Okay."
And with that, it was just the three of them.
Rachel closed the gap, and stared Donnie dead in the eyes, "You want to tell me how Kára Lang got a hold of Alison's Shareholder Agreement?"
"I...I...What..."
Alison sat to one side of the room, her face buried in her hands. She couldn't help but blame Donnie, and to a certain extent, herself. If Kára had never gotten a hand on her 10% share of Black Crown Corp., this would've never happened.
"Explain yourself!"
"I stole it from her security safe. And I pawned it. But it was supposed to be held as collateral only! They swore it would be temporary, and I could redeem it anytime I wanted to, as long as I had the money. You have to believe me, Rachel, I would never sell the company."
Alison stuttered, "You...you gambled away the company?"
"I...I..."
Rachel was visibly upset, and rightfully so. They were royally fucked, and it was all Donnie's fault. "Did you, or did you not, forge Alison's signature?"
Donnie whimpered, "I did."
That was all Rachel needed to hear. This was their way out. "That makes the sale illegal. We can contest the legitimacy of the acquisition. I am not letting that twat take away our company!"
"No! You can't!" Donnie fell to his knees, and he sobbed, "Please, Rachel, you can't! I forged Alison's signature on a federal document! I could go to jail for it!"
"You should've thought about that before you did it, you stupid wanker." Rachel lashed out angrily, "I always knew you were an idiot, but I never thought you were dead from the neck up. It's not even a competition. If I had to choose between you, and saving the company, I will always choose the latter, in a heartbeat."
Donnie crawled to where Alison was, and he groveled. "Please, Alison! I'm sorry. I was afraid I would lose you if you ever found out. I swear, I didn't do this to hurt you. I love you, so much. You have to believe me."
Alison cupped Donnie's cheeks, and she gently wiped the tears from his bruised cheeks.
"Hello, Paulson?" Rachel said, "It's me. Listen, I need a huge —"
Alison grabbed Rachel's cellphone, and she threw it across the room.
"What the fuck, Alison?! Have you lost your God damn mind?!"
"I'm not doing it. I will not contest the signature."
"She doesn't get a pass! She doesn't get to come in here, and steal what's rightfully ours!" Rachel grabbed Alison by the shoulders, "Only you can make this right."
"No. I won't do it." Alison swatted Rachel's hands away, "Do not make me choose between you, and my husband."
"This isn't just about me. It's about all of us. We're family. Blood is thicker than water."
"Don't forget, he's my husband! He's family, too!"
"He's not your blood!"
"I won't throw Donnie to the wolves. You and I both know Kára Lang will seize the opportunity, and tear him to shreds. I've already lost the company. I will not lose my husband, too."
Alison grabbed Donnie, and they left an exasperated Rachel be.
In a fit of rage, Rachel swiped everything off her desk, and she screamed at the top of her lungs.
Their family was in shambles. And their company was now susceptible to a hostile takeover.
They had lost the battle, and the war. All was lost. Rome has fallen.
- o -
A/N: Trick or treat. Give me something good to eat. Not too big. Not too small. Just the size of Montreal.