Titan Vale Corporation Headquarters | Boardroom
The air inside the boardroom had changed. It was subtle at first, like the quiet before a storm, but Freya could sense it.
Nevaris Vale, who had spent the past half-hour slouching and feigning boredom, was no longer twirling his pen or sighing theatrically. Instead, he was completely still. His golden eyes, usually filled with playful mischief, had sharpened into something far more dangerous.
Langley Ashford, the CFO, continued his presentation, unaware—or perhaps too nervous to acknowledge—that he had just made a fatal misstep.
"Our current liquidity ratio remains within the standard parameters for a firm of our size," Langley said, swiping through a series of holographic projections. His voice was measured, controlled—too controlled. "The minor fluctuations in our cash reserves stem from reinvestment strategies targeting foreign markets, particularly Eurasia and South America. We anticipate a stabilization period of—"
"Langley."
Nevaris' voice was smooth, almost lazy, but it carried weight.
Langley faltered. "Yes, Chairman Vale?"
Nevaris leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, fingers interlaced. The dim conference lighting reflected in his irises—still golden, but darkening at the edges.
"Run those numbers again."
A pause. Then, hesitantly, Langley tapped on the interface. The financial data reappeared, the holographic projection displaying complex asset flows, liquidity distributions, and subsidiary transactions.
Nevaris studied the figures, his expression unreadable. "Freya."
Freya had already been scanning the reports, anticipating the question. She stepped forward slightly, her voice calm and precise.
"Projected liquidity is down 2.4% over the last three quarters, but the deficit is obscured by internal transactions between subsidiary holdings. The key entities involved are Benevolent Holdings Ltd., Titan Eurasia Capital, and Vertex Solutions SA." She paused. "Each of these companies is structured as a subsidiary of Titan Vale Corporation, but their internal fund flows suggest a pattern consistent with capital tunneling."
A ripple of tension passed through the room.
Freya kept her gaze steady. She had seen financial fraud before—money laundering, shell corporations, offshore siphoning—but this was well-executed. Too well-executed. Langley wasn't just skimming off the top; he was orchestrating an intricate web of transactions designed to make it seem like Titan Vale's financials were in perfect health when, in reality, a silent bleed was draining the empire from within.
Langley cleared his throat. "Chairman, I assure you—"
"Langley," Nevaris interrupted, this time less patient. He tapped the table, and the holographic display changed again. This time, it zoomed into a specific section of Titan Vale's asset distribution.
"This," Nevaris pointed, "is where I start to get annoyed."
Freya examined the projection. It was more than just circular lending—it was a layered fraud scheme, designed to avoid detection.
At its core, Langley was using a combination of circular lending, synthetic debt obligations, and offshore layering to create the illusion of liquidity while discreetly diverting funds.
Circular Lending – One subsidiary would "lend" money to another at an inflated valuation, making it appear as though the company's assets were growing. In reality, the money never truly left Langley's controlled network; it was simply shuffled between entities to create a false balance sheet.
Synthetic Debt Obligations – He had created a series of complex derivative contracts tied to the movement of these funds, allowing him to manipulate earnings reports. On paper, Titan Vale was expanding. In reality, its financial backbone was riddled with holes.
Offshore Layering – The most damning piece. Langley had structured the transactions so that the final destination of these funds was an offshore shell company—one conveniently registered under a private trust. A trust that, upon deeper analysis, had Langley Ashford as a silent beneficiary.
Freya's grip tightened slightly. This wasn't just financial manipulation—it was embezzlement on a grand scale.
Nevaris exhaled through his nose, almost like a predator sizing up its prey.
"Circular lending," he said, drawing out the words slowly. "A tactic normally used by companies that are either about to collapse or trying to deceive regulators. Which one are we?"
Langley paled. "Chairman Vale, it's a strategic maneuver—"
Nevaris let out a soft chuckle. "Strategic maneuver?" His voice was light, amused even. "That's funny."
Then, slowly, his golden eyes darkened.
Freya had seen it before, but it still sent a chill down her spine.
His irises, once warm gold, now shifted into a deep, blood-red crimson.
The Demon of Contracts had awakened.
The room felt smaller, the air heavier. The other executives visibly tensed, some glancing at Langley, others staring down at the table, trying not to be noticed.
Freya almost felt sorry for Langley. Almost.
Nevaris tapped the table again. "Kenji."
Kenji Nakamura, Head of R&D, sat up straight. "Yes, Chairman?"
"Do any of our ongoing projects require foreign capital buffers?"
Kenji adjusted his glasses. "No, sir. All major expenditures for R&D are accounted for domestically."
Nevaris hummed. "Nathaniel," he turned to the COO, "are there any strategic expansions that justify this level of liquidity movement?"
Nathaniel, ever composed, shook his head. "None that I have approved, Chairman."
Nevaris let out a slow exhale, leaning back in his chair. "So let's summarize."
He raised a finger. "One: No R&D division requires this foreign capital allocation."
A second finger. "Two: There are no approved strategic expansions to justify these transactions."
A third finger. "Three: Langley has been moving money in a way that makes our liquidity look fine, when in reality, we've got a silent bleed."
He clasped his hands together, his smile sharp. "I don't like bleeding, Langley."
Langley's hands were shaking now. "Chairman, please, I—"
Nevaris clicked his tongue. "Oh, no need to beg just yet. We still have one more thing to discuss."
He swiped his hand across the table, and another set of data emerged.
Freya's eyes narrowed.
Bank transfers.
Specifically, offshore accounts that Langley had direct ties to.
Nevaris smirked. "Now, I might be just a simple businessman—" he said in mock humility, "but even I know when money is being siphoned out of my company."
Langley's face was deathly pale.
Nevaris stood up slowly, walking around the table until he was standing directly behind Langley's chair. He placed a hand on the man's shoulder, leaning down.
"You see, Langley," he whispered, "I can forgive many things."
His grip tightened.
"But not betrayal."
Langley shuddered.
Nevaris released him and walked back to his seat, stretching lazily. "Well, I'm feeling generous today," he said lightly. "So I'll give you two options."
Langley swallowed hard.
"One," Nevaris held up a finger. "You resign. Right now. Sign the papers, leave your shares behind, and walk out."
Langley looked at the display in front of him, where a resignation document had already been prepared.
"Or two."
Nevaris' eyes gleamed crimson. "I destroy you. And not just financially."
Langley choked on air.
Nevaris yawned, stretching. "Take your time."
Langley didn't need it. With shaking hands, he reached for the document, signing it.
The moment the signature was confirmed, Nevaris' smirk returned. "Good choice."
Freya checked the time. Exactly sixteen minutes.
Faster than she expected.
As Langley stood and shakily left the boardroom, Nevaris turned to the remaining executives. His smirk faded into something sharper.
"I do hope this meeting has been educational for all of you."
No one spoke.
Freya exhaled, watching the tension in the room.
Sometimes, she forgot how much of a demon he really was.
And yet, despite it all—Nevaris Vale stretched, flopped back into his chair, and grinned. "So, what's for lunch?"
The meeting was over.