CEO

Megan Brantley, the CEO and founder of a tech startup, sits at her home desk preparing for a video call with an employee she plans to fire. Her laptop is open in a video app. She checks her appearance in the monitor, fixes her hair, and organizes her notes. When her employee Daniel joins the call, she adopts a serious tone. Daniel says he does not understand the reason for the sudden meeting, and Megan tells him there have been troubling discoveries about his online activity. She explains that the company traced hateful posts and death threats he wrote about her under multiple accounts. Daniel denies everything at first, then admits to it while claiming he was stressed. Megan tells him the comments hurt her deeply. Daniel apologizes and begs not to be fired. She then confronts him about the doctored images he created of her and posted online. She describes how disturbing they are and how violated she felt. Daniel tries to justify his actions and blames personal struggles. Megan informs him that his employment is terminated. Before responding, Daniel abruptly says someone is at the door and walks off screen. Megan waits, frustrated, tapping her pen as she waits for him to return and complete the termination process.

As Megan waits, she notices the webcam has been knocked to the side and sees a nightstand, a lamp, and a photo that looks very familiar. She realizes the video call is coming from inside her house, the webcam shows her bedroom. Megan stands up and rushes down upstairs as she processes this. She enters her bedroom and sees Daniel’s laptop set up on her dresser, still streaming. She looks throughout the room and behind the door but Daniel is no where to be found. As she looks for him he is revealed to have been hiding in the bathroom. He barges in through the door and grabs Megan from behind in a chokehold. Megan grabs at his arm and struggles, trying to break free. He drags her backward as she kicks at him and elbows him. He backs up against the wall and keeps his arm around her neck as she tries to escape. They stumble through the room and fall to the floor, all while Daniel keeps the chokehold locked in. Megan gasps for air and kicks her feet against the ground but is unable to get any leverage. Daniel keeps the hold tight around her neck until Megan loses consciousness. He holds on for a few seconds longer before dropping to the floor beside her, exhausted. He brushes the hair from her face, then lifts her up and drags her limp body up onto the bed.

Daniel removes each of Megan’s shoes and places them on the dresser one at a time. He grabs a roll of duct tape and a scarf then puts Megan’s hands behind her back and binds them together with the duct tape. He rolls Megan over and puts the scarf in her mouth as a gag. He brushes his hand along her face then Megan wakes and panics when she realizes she is tied and gagged. Daniel holds her down and lectures her, accusing her of being selfish and uncaring as the CEO of her company. She thrashes against the ropes while he mocks her and says that killing her will be celebrated. Daniel gets on top of her and wraps his hands around her throat. He squeezes while she kicks and fights. With her hands tied and mouth gagged, Megan is fully at the mercy of her former employee. After some struggle he releases her and continues taunting her. He removes the gag so she can speak. Megan begs him to stop with fear in her voice. Daniel slaps her and tells her no one is coming to save her. Megan gets frustrated and angry, insulting him and calling him jealous and pathetic. Daniel picks up the scarf and wraps it around her neck. He pulls the ends tight around her neck while she rolls on the bed trying to escape. Megan’s eyes roll back and her mouth opens wide as the breath is taken from her while she struggles.

Daniel pulls tightly on the scarf and yells with all the exertion. Megan kicks her bare feet along the bed as she tries to get free. She shakes her hands hard against the duct tape as Daniel keeps pulling with all his might. Megan manages to free her hands from the duct tape and she reached out over the nightstand and grabs her Below 30 Achievement award, getting a good hold and swinging it into Daniel’s face. Daniel loses his grip from the sudden blow and falls back into the wall. Megan gasps for air and jumps off the bed, making a run for the door. Daniel recovers and lunges after her. He grabs on to Megan before she can get to the door and tackles her to the floor. Daniel pins Megan down and squeezes her throat with both of his hands. Megan gasps, eyes wide and fighting with all her strength. Her eyes roll back as tears form from the intense pressure. She slaps up at Daniel but he keeps her pinned down and maintains his grip al the while. Megan’s strength fades, her eyes lose focus and her limbs go limp. Her head falls back as her expression freezes in a look of lost terror, her eyes rolled back in a stare. Her feet kick against the floor one last time then her whole body goes limp. Daniel keeps squeezing until she is motionless. He laughs breathlessly, triumphant. He examines her body on the floor as the full weight of his murderous actions settles on him. He lifts her hands then lets them fall against the floor. Then he stands up and picks her body up, bringing it to the chair he was in before, leaving Megan in view of the webcam. He fixes her hair then stands over her corpse, then he makes his escape.