Chapter 15
SIMONE
Iwake to my phone buzzing relentlessly on the nightstand. Luc's already awake beside me, one arm still wrapped around my waist, the other reaching for his own phone.
"News broke," he says, voice rough from sleep. "The FBI just released the press conference schedule."
I grab my phone. The screen floods with notifications. News alerts, texts from Henry, messages from board members I haven't heard from in weeks. All of them reacting to the same headline scrolling across every major outlet.
Oil Executive Armand Deveraux Arrested on Federal Conspiracy Charges
The subheadlines are worse. A surveillance operation. A kidnapping conspiracy. A murder-for-hire. My uncle's carefully constructed reputation disintegrating in real-time across national media.
"The FBI's holding a press conference this morning," Luc says, scanning his screen. "Locke and Rivera. They're laying out the full case."
I should feel vindicated. Armand's arrest proves everything I told the board, everything Henry documented, everything Andy investigated. The criminal case against my uncle is solid. He's going to prison.
But my stomach twists anyway because I know what's coming next. The board won't care that I was the victim. They'll care about the exposure, the scandal, the fact that LaCroix Petroleum's name is attached to a federal conspiracy case.
"Coffee," I say, pushing myself upright. "I need coffee before I deal with this."
Luc's out of bed before I finish the sentence, pulling on jeans and heading downstairs. I grab my laptop and follow him down a few minutes later, already dreading the emails waiting in my inbox.
The kitchen smells like fresh coffee. Luc hands me a mug, cream already added. I sit at the table and open my laptop while he leans against the counter, his own phone in hand.
My inbox is a disaster. Dozens of new emails since last night, the unread count climbing. I scan the subject lines, looking for the ones that matter. There are three from Henry marked urgent. Two from the board chair. One from Patricia Moreau with the subject line Thoughts on Moving Forward.
I open Henry's first.
FBI press conference at 10 AM. Locke confirmed they're outlining the full criminal case. Surveillance operation, coordination with the late Julien LaSalle, evidence of murder-for-hire. This is good for us. Shows you were victimized, not complicit. Call me when you're up.
The second email is shorter.
Board chair called an emergency conference call for this afternoon. Mandatory attendance. Henry
The third makes my jaw clench.
Three board members called me last night. Patricia's been working the phones since the arrest news broke. Angling to replace you as the stable alternative. We need to counter this fast. Henry
"Fuck," I mutter.
Luc looks up from his phone. "What?"
"Patricia Moreau is positioning herself to take my job." I turn the laptop so he can see Henry's email. "Emergency board call this afternoon. She's been working the phones since last night."
"The board knows you were the victim here."
"The board knows there's a federal conspiracy case with LaCroix Petroleum's name attached to it.
They know there's surveillance footage of me at a BDSM club.
They know the media is going to tear us apart for weeks.
" I take a long drink of coffee. "Patricia's going to argue that I'm too damaged to lead the company through this.
That we need stable, scandal-free leadership. "
"You going to let her?"
"No." The word comes out harder than I intend. "Armand wanted to destroy me. He coordinated years of surveillance, funded Julien's obsession, had you kidnapped. I'm not letting him win by stepping down now."
Luc's expression shifts into something darker, more satisfied. "Good."
My phone rings. Henry.
"I saw them," I answer.
"The FBI press conference is starting soon. You should watch it. They're laying out everything—the monitoring station at LaCroix Petroleum, Armand's access logs, the communications between him and Julien. This vindicates you publicly."
"And the board call?"
"Chair's going to ask you to resign voluntarily." Henry doesn't soften it. "For the good of the company. To minimize ongoing damage. Patricia's been feeding him that line since last night."
"I'm not resigning."
"I know. But you need to be prepared for the fight. Several board members are still uncomfortable with the lifestyle exposure. They're using language like judgment and discretion, but what they really mean is they don't want a CEO who goes to BDSM clubs."
"I didn't do anything illegal. I was stalked and violated."
"I know. And we're going to make that argument. But Simone, this is going to get ugly. Patricia has support. She's been making her case as your successor for some time now. This gives her the opening she's been waiting for."
My stomach twists. "What do I need to do?"
"Be on that call. Refuse to step down. Make it clear you're not going anywhere. I'll counter Patricia's narrative on my end, but you need to show strength. The board needs to see you're not backing down."
"They can't actually remove me. I own the company."
"They can't force you out, no. But they can make it hell to stay. That's the play here. Make your position so untenable you choose to leave." His voice sharpens. "Don't give them that satisfaction."
"I won't."
"Good. Watch the FBI press conference. I'll call you before the board meeting with a final strategy." He pauses. "You're going to survive this. We just have to outmaneuver Patricia."
The call ends. I turn to Luc. "The FBI press conference is starting soon."
He moves to the living room, turns on the television.
The major news networks are already covering it.
The coverage shows split screens of the FBI field office in New Orleans, reporters speculating about what details will be revealed, and archived photos of Armand from various charity events and business functions.
I sink into the couch beside Luc. His hand finds my thigh, a solid weight anchoring me while we wait.
The press conference starts exactly on time. Special Agents Locke and Rivera stand behind a podium bearing the FBI seal. Locke steps forward first.
"Good morning. I'm Special Agent Adrian Locke with the FBI's Cyber Crimes Division.
Yesterday, federal agents arrested Armand Deveraux on multiple charges including wire fraud, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, witness tampering, and accessory to murder.
I'm here today to outline the evidence supporting these charges. "
He doesn't waste time. He pulls up the first slide showing the monitoring station found in LaCroix Petroleum's headquarters. The slide displays high-resolution photos of the equipment, the monitors, the server. Everything is documented in clinical detail.
"Our investigation revealed that Mr. Deveraux installed and operated a sophisticated surveillance monitoring station inside LaCroix Petroleum headquarters.
This station received live feeds from cameras hidden at multiple locations, including a private club in New Orleans.
Access logs show Mr. Deveraux personally accessed this system on multiple occasions over several months. "
The next slide shows a timeline. The surveillance operation start date, camera installation, monitoring sessions, and coordination with the late Julien LaSalle. Everything is laid out in federal prosecution detail.
"Evidence seized from the monitoring station includes encrypted communications between Mr. Deveraux and the late Julien LaSalle.
These communications directed the surveillance operation, coordinated timing of photograph deliveries, and discussed strategies for leveraging the collected material.
We've also recovered communications correlating with the kidnapping of a security professional and Mr. LaSalle's subsequent execution. "
Locke's voice stays professional, clinical. He delivers just the facts. No editorial commentary. But the facts are devastating enough.
Rivera steps forward for the next section.
"Mr. Deveraux funded this operation through offshore accounts and shell companies designed to obscure the money trail.
Financial forensics have traced payments to Mr. LaSalle and associated contractors over an extended period.
This money funded surveillance equipment, contracted personnel, and operational expenses. "
The reporters are silent. They're taking notes, recording everything, but not interrupting with questions yet.
"The target of this surveillance operation was Simone LaCroix, CEO of LaCroix Petroleum and Mr. Deveraux's niece," Rivera continues.
"Ms. LaCroix has been fully cooperative with our investigation.
The evidence we've collected demonstrates that Mr. Deveraux orchestrated this operation with the intent to force Ms. LaCroix from her position as CEO. "
There it is. Federal law enforcement publicly confirming I was victimized, not complicit. That should matter to the board.
It won't be enough for some of them.
Locke takes questions after the formal presentation.
Reporters ask about the murder-for-hire evidence, the connection to Julien LaSalle's execution, whether additional arrests are expected.
He answers carefully, protecting the ongoing investigation while confirming the strength of the case against Armand.
When the press conference ends, the news networks immediately pivot to analysis.
Legal experts discussing the strength of federal conspiracy charges.
Former prosecutors predict Armand will spend decades in prison.
Business analysts speculating about the impact on LaCroix Petroleum's stock price and board dynamics.
I mute the television. "The board's going to see this and still ask me to resign."
"Let them ask." Luc's voice is flat. Hard. "Then watch them choke on it."