He knew.
He was taunting them. He knew about Rio Verde Holdings and was counting down the minutes until he could expose the poisoned asset Julian had bought.
Marcus smirked at Annie. "Nice dress. Did you rent it, or is it a parting gift?"
He thought he had won. He still thought she was decorative.
Annie looked at Marcus, then at Saito.
"It's not a gift, Marcus," she said, her voice carrying just enough for the circle to hear. "It's a uniform."
"For what? Serving drinks?"
"No. For taking out the trash."
She turned to Yamamoto and addressed him in Japanese. She asked whether honor was the foundation of business.
Yamamoto nodded slowly. "It is."
She continued in Japanese, asking what should happen to a retainer who opened the castle gates to an enemy in exchange for gold.
Saito's smile faltered. Marcus looked confused. He did not understand the language.
"What is she saying?"
"I'm saying," Annie replied in English, "that we're going to the library now."
She did not wait for permission. She walked toward the private room. Julian followed. Yamamoto, intrigued by her tone, followed him. Von Amsel came next. Marcus and Saito had no choice but to follow too.
The library of the Plaza Hotel smelled of old leather and cigars. It was private and quiet, perfect for what was about to happen. They gathered around a long mahogany table. Julian closed the door.
"This is highly irregular," Marcus stammered. "The press is waiting outside for the toast."
"Shut up, Marcus," Julian said.
He threw the folder of evidence onto the table. It slid across the wood and stopped against Saito's hand.
"What is this?" Saito asked, feigning innocence.
"That," Annie said, "is the routing information for a Cayman Islands account held by Rio Verde Holdings, along with logs showing the account is managed through infrastructure tied to your Tokyo operation."
Saito went completely still.
She turned to von Amsel. "Herr von Amsel, you were told the four-hundred-million-dollar debt in the Brazilian subsidiary was a temporary accounting issue. Correct?"
Von Amsel looked at Marcus. "Yes. He told me it would be cleared before closing."
"He lied," Annie said. "Marcus did not clear it. He buried it in the Portuguese appendix. Once Julian signed, the debt would activate and trigger a default clause affecting the broader agreement. Julian would be crippled. The deal would collapse."
She turned to Yamamoto.
"And who would be waiting to buy your company when the stock price crashed under the scandal? Who is the only rival positioned to exploit the chaos?"
She pointed at Saito.
"Saito Heavy Industries," Yamamoto whispered.
Realization washed over his face. He looked at Saito with fury.
"This is ridiculous!" Marcus shouted, sweat pouring down his face. "She's lying. She's a waitress. She doesn't understand high finance. Julian, you're going to listen to a girl who pours coffee over your own CFO?"
Julian stepped toward him.
"She's not a waitress, Marcus," Julian said softly. "She's the smartest person in this room, and she's my vice president. You, however, are unemployed."
"You can't prove I knew!" Marcus shrieked. "It's my word against hers."
"Actually," Annie said, "it's your voice against your voice."
She pulled out her phone. Silas had obtained a recording linking Marcus directly to the scheme. Annie pressed play.
Marcus's voice filled the room, unmistakable and clear.
"Don't worry, Mr. Saito. Julian is clueless. He thinks with his ego. He'll sign the papers, the debt will hit, and he'll be ruined by morning. Just make sure my transfer to the Swiss account is ready."
The silence in the library was absolute.
Marcus slumped against the wall, his legs giving way beneath him. Saito adjusted his tie. He was a professional. He knew when he had lost.
"This recording," Saito said calmly, "would face serious admissibility problems in court."
"Maybe," Julian replied. "But I don't need to go to court tonight. I just need to go to the press outside. Imagine the headline: Saito Heavy Industries caught in corporate sabotage scandal. Your stock will drop before the market opens."
Saito narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?"
"I want the debt gone," Julian said. "You are going to take Rio Verde Holdings back from us for one dollar. You take the toxic asset, or Annie walks into that ballroom and explains exactly what happened in Japanese, German, and English so every reporter understands it."
Saito looked at Annie. She held his gaze without blinking.
He pulled out a pen. Julian slid a transfer document across the table. Saito signed the ownership transfer for one dollar.
"Pleasure doing business," Saito spat, turning toward the door.
"Wait," Annie said.
Saito stopped.
Annie turned to Yamamoto and spoke to him in Japanese. She said that when a rival attempted to betray a partner and failed, an apology alone did not restore honor. A penalty was required.
Yamamoto nodded grimly, then faced Saito.
"You will withdraw your bid for the battery patent in Seoul," he said. "You will leave that market to me."