Chapter 74: The Banker's Collapse

The International Economic Summit was held in the golden ballroom of the most expensive hotel in Geneva.

It was a gathering of the world’s elite—presidents, oil tycoons, and tech billionaires. The air smelled of expensive cologne, champagne, and raw power.

On the podium stood Baron Rothschild. He was a small, round man with a polished bald head, wearing a suit that cost more than a normal person's car. He was the monopoly king of the Montbert Central Bank, the man who held the nation's wallet.

"Integrity," Rothschild declared into the microphone, his magnified face projected on a massive IMAX-sized screen behind him. He raised a glass of water theatrically. "Stability. Trust. These are not just words to me. These are the pillars upon which I built my banking empire."

The audience applauded politely.

In the VIP box above the crowd, partially hidden by the shadows of the velvet curtains, Jackson Sterling sat watching the performance. He looked like a hunter watching a deer graze before the kill.

"He lies with such confidence," Serenity whispered next to him. She was wearing a midnight-blue dress, looking every inch the Grand Duchess. "If I didn't know he was funding terrorists, I might have voted for him."

"Liars always look honest until the bill comes due," Jackson checked his platinum wristwatch. "Alex, are we ready?"

"Ready when you are, Dad," Alex’s voice chirped through Jackson’s earpiece. "I'm in his mainframe. I've bypassed five layers of security. It was easier than playing Minecraft."

"Drop the bomb," Jackson ordered cold.

"Dropping in 3... 2... 1..."

Suddenly, the massive screen behind Rothschild flickered violently.

The boring graphs of GDP growth and interest rates distorted and vanished.

ZZZT!

The screen went black for a terrifying second. Then, it turned bright red.

Rows of confidential bank statements, encrypted emails, and transaction logs began to scroll down the screen at high speed. All of them were stamped with the watermark: TOP SECRET.

The applause died. A hush fell over the room.

"What is this?" Rothschild turned around, confused. He tapped the microphone. "Technical difficulties! Cut the feed!"

But the feed didn't cut. instead, it zoomed in on one specific transaction highlighted in neon yellow.

[ TRANSFER TO: THE ORDER (Shell Corp: Hydra Ltd). ]
[ AMOUNT: €500,000,000.00 ]
[ SOURCE: MONTBERT NATIONAL PENSION FUND. ]

The silence broke. Gasps echoed through the hall.

"The Pension Fund?" a banker in the front row stood up, outraged. "That's the retirement money of half the country!"

"He embezzled it!" another voice shouted.

Rothschild began to sweat. His face turned ashen. "This... this is fake news! It is a deep fake! A cyber attack!"

"It's not a glitch, Baron."

Jackson’s deep voice boomed through the hall. He didn't need a microphone; his authority filled the room.

Everyone turned. Spotlights swiveled up to the VIP box.

Jackson Sterling walked down the grand staircase, with Serenity by his side. They moved with a lethal grace, parting the crowd like the Red Sea.

"It's an audit," Jackson said calmly, stepping onto the stage.

"Sterling!" Rothschild backed away, nearly tripping over his own feet. "You! You hacked my private servers! This is illegal espionage! I will have you arrested!"

"You can try," Jackson adjusted his cuffs. "But you might have trouble paying your lawyers."

"What do you mean?" Rothschild sneered, trying to regain his composure. "I am a billionaire. I own this city!"

"Do you?" Jackson smirked cruelly. "Listen."

A new sound filled the room. It wasn't applause. It was ringtones.

Every phone in the pocket of every investor, banker, and tycoon in the room started buzzing and beeping simultaneously. Margin calls.

"What's happening to the market?" someone screamed, looking at their phone.

On the big screen, Alex switched the feed to the Live Stock Market ticker.

Rothschild Bank (R-BNK) was plummeting. The graph looked like a cliff. A red line dropping straight down.

"While you were giving your speech about 'integrity'," Jackson leaned in close to the trembling Baron. "I instructed my firms in New York, London, and Tokyo to short your stock. I dumped everything. And after this leak... your investors are doing the same."

R-BNK: -40%... -60%... -99%.

"Zero," Jackson whispered. "You are insolvent, Baron."

Rothschild looked at the screen. His empire, built over forty years, had evaporated in four minutes.

"My money... my legacy..." Rothschild fell to his knees on the stage, gripping the podium for support. He looked like a deflated balloon. "You... you monster."

"You are the monster," Serenity stepped forward.

She stood over him, looking down with cold, royal judgment. The cameras flashed blindingly, capturing the moment the Queen confronted the thief.

"Baron Rothschild," Serenity announced, her voice ringing clear. "For high treason, embezzlement, and funding domestic terrorism... by the power vested in me as Grand Duchess, I hereby nationalize your remaining assets."

"You are fired," she said simply.

The doors of the hall burst open. Police officers—accompanied by Jackson's private security—marched in.

They didn't wait. They handcuffed Rothschild right there on the stage, dragging him past his stunned colleagues.

"I didn't know! It was Arthur! Arthur made me do it!" Rothschild screamed as he was hauled away, blaming everyone but himself.

The room was stunned into silence.

Jackson turned to the crowd of shocked elites. He buttoned his suit jacket.

"Sorry for the interruption," Jackson said charmingly. "Please, enjoy the dessert."

He took Serenity’s hand and led her off the stage.

"Two down," Jackson whispered as they walked into the corridor away from the chaos. "General Kovac has no army. Rothschild has no money."

"Only one left," Serenity leaned her head on his shoulder, exhausted but victorious. "Viktor Kane. The CEO of Vex Corp."

Jackson’s expression shifted from satisfaction to grim determination.

"The Money Man was easy," Jackson said. "But Kane supplies the weapons. He won't surrender with a handshake or a stock crash."

"We will have to fight him the hard way," Jackson opened the door to the waiting car. "Luke, prepare the jet. We are going to the Swiss Alps."

The final boss was waiting in the snow. And this time, Jackson was bringing the heavy artillery.