Chapter 4 - The Denver Deal
By the time Flight 405 landed, Morgan Ridge’s legal team had frozen six vendor accounts.
Ryan’s access history showed repeated logins from hotels where he had claimed to be attending Northstar conferences. Chloe’s credentials appeared on many of the same sessions.
They had copied pricing models, delivery schedules, and confidential bids from my company’s systems.
Then Northstar submitted offers designed to beat competitors by less than one percent.
Ryan earned commission on every contract.
Chloe managed the altered documents.
The Denver trip had a larger purpose.
Northstar planned to sign an exclusive logistics agreement with one of Morgan Ridge’s most important suppliers. The supplier believed I had personally approved the arrangement.
Ryan intended to arrive first, present the forged authorization, and trap my company into honoring it.
Chloe was carrying the final contract in her luggage.
My early flight had placed me on the same plane by accident.
Their mistake was believing I would confront them emotionally before protecting the evidence.
When the aircraft door opened, Ryan tried to follow me.
Two Morgan Ridge attorneys were waiting at the gate with airport personnel—not to arrest anyone, but to serve formal preservation notices concerning company devices and records.
Chloe stopped walking.
Ryan laughed nervously.
“This is insane.”
One attorney held out a sealed envelope.
“You are instructed not to delete, alter, or transfer any information connected to Morgan Ridge Construction.”
Ryan looked at me.
“You planned this.”
“I planned for a supplier meeting. You brought the evidence onto my flight.”
Chloe clutched her carry-on.
“What happens if we sign the Denver deal?”
The attorney answered.
May you like
“There is no deal.”
Ryan’s entire expression collapsed.
