Chapter 4 - The Anonymous Venom-4
Ethan stared at the corporate email on his screen, his jaw clenching so hard the muscles in his face throbbed.
The anonymous report sent to his employer, Stuttgart Auto Systems, was meticulous. It contained fabricated receipts, altered flight itineraries, and forged email exchanges suggesting that Ethan had diverted fifty thousand dollars of corporate research funds into a private bank account while working in Germany.
If HR believed these forged documents, Ethan wouldn't just be fired—he would face federal extradition, criminal fraud charges, and the total destruction of his engineering career.
"Brooke..." Ethan whispered, the cold reality settling into his chest.
His sister hadn't just taken his food, stolen his money, and left his recovering wife to starve. She had actively tried to ruin his entire professional life while he was thousands of miles away.
"Why would she do this?" Arthur asked, leaning over Ethan's shoulder to read the HR document. "If you lose your job, the gravy train ends for all of them. Why sabotage you?"
"Because of the promotion," Ethan realized suddenly, his eyes narrowing.
Two months ago, Ethan had been named the frontrunner for the Chief Regional Director position at Stuttgart Auto Systems—a prestigious executive role carrying a three-hundred-thousand-dollar annual salary and a permanent transfer to the Chicago corporate headquarters.
If Ethan received the promotion, he would regain complete, direct control over all his financial holdings and no longer need to travel overseas. He would be home permanently, supervising his accounts directly.
"If I got fired for corporate fraud," Ethan said, the pieces connecting in his mind, "I would be facing massive legal bills. Brooke and my mother knew I had a personal liability umbrella insurance policy worth five hundred thousand dollars that named my mother as the primary beneficiary in case of criminal indemnity pre-dating my marriage."
"They wanted you disgraced and broke," David Chen gasped. "Or desperate enough to rely on them to manage your remaining assets while you fought a legal battle!"
"They thought I was still in Stuttgart," Ethan said, a cold, dangerous calm washing over him. "They thought I wouldn't see the HR notice until the internal investigation was already completed on January fifth."
Ethan immediately clicked Reply on the HR email, attaching his personal flight tickets, his verified banking records, his original hotel receipts from Stuttgart, and the complete security camera footage from his Oak Park home showing Brooke and Jason loading coolers into their trunk.
He added a brief note to the HR Director:
Dear Mr. Weber,
I am currently in Chicago, having returned early on December 31. The claims in the anonymous report are entirely fabricated. Attached is full forensic proof of my actual expenses, along with security footage identifying the individual who accessed my home network to submit these forged documents: my sister, Brooke Miller.
I am filing a formal police report for corporate extortion and identity theft today.
He hit Send.
Within ten minutes, his phone rang. It was Herr Weber, the Global HR Vice President calling directly from Stuttgart.
"Ethan?" Weber’s heavy German accent carried deep concern. "I have just reviewed the files you sent. This is... monstrous. The receipts submitted in the anonymous tip were completely crude fabrications."
"I know, Herr Weber," Ethan said calmly. "I apologize that my family's criminal behavior has spilled into company business."
"You have nothing to apologize for, Ethan," Weber stated firmly. "The board met this morning regarding the Chief Regional Director appointment. Given your flawless performance record and the clear evidence of malicious third-party sabotage, the board has officially confirmed your appointment as Chief Regional Director, effective immediately."
"Thank you, Herr Weber."
"Furthermore," Weber added, his voice hardening, "our legal department will file a formal corporate complaint with the Illinois State Prosecutor against Brooke Miller for corporate espionage and computer fraud. We do not allow third parties to attack our executive officers."
Ethan hung up the phone. A heavy weight seemed to lift from his chest, replaced by a razor-sharp focus.
He turned to Arthur Vance. "Arthur, how soon can the police issue an arrest warrant for computer fraud and identity theft based on the HR submission?"
"With the corporate legal team from a multinational firm backing the complaint?" Arthur smiled grimly. "The state prosecutor will sign the warrant by tomorrow morning. The moment Brooke lands back at O'Hare Airport, federal marshals will be waiting at the gate."
Suddenly, Ethan’s phone chimed again.
It was a voicemail notification from an unknown international number in Mexico.
Ethan pressed play and set the phone on the desk speaker.
Diane’s panicked, breathless voice filled the room, accompanied by the loud background noise of traffic and ocean wind:
"Ethan! Ethan, answer the phone! This is an emergency! We were thrown out of the resort! They took our luggage! We are sitting at a public bus stop near the highway in Cancún and Jason got into a fight with a taxi driver who tried to take our watches! We have no money! Brooke’s credit cards are all declined! You need to wire ten thousand dollars to this Western Union office immediately or we will be sleeping on the street! ETHAN, DO YOU HEAR ME?! ANSWER YOUR MOTHER!"
Ethan listened to the entire message without moving a muscle.
May you like
When the voicemail ended, he picked up his phone, deleted the recording, and looked at Arthur.
"Let’s go check on my wife and daughter," Ethan said quietly. "They have a long day of recovery ahead of them."
