Chapter 4 - The Tables Turn Completely
“This is insane! You can’t do this!” Luca shouted, trying to back away as the deputies closed in on either side of him. “I demand my attorney! I demand a phone call!”
“You can call anyone you like from the county booking facility, Mr. Vance,” one of the deputies said evenly, pulling a pair of cold steel handcuffs from his utility belt. “Turn around and put your hands behind your back.”
“Jessi! Tell them!” Luca yelled, his eyes wide with sheer desperation as the deputies grabbed his arms and forced him around. “Jessi, please! We were married for fourteen years! You can’t let them do this to me!”
I didn't move an inch. I stood by the kitchen counter, my arms crossed, watching the man who had tried to discard me like a worn-out piece of office furniture finally face the immutable reality of his own actions.
“十四 years, Luca,” I said softly, echoing his own words from earlier in the evening. “You’re right. We were married for fourteen years. And every single day of those fourteen years, I protected you from your own stupidity. Tonight, I simply stopped.”
The click of the handcuffs locking into place sounded remarkably loud in the cavernous, luxury-designed living room.
Chloe pressed herself flat against the wall near the massive stone fireplace, looking like she wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole. She didn't say another word. She didn't look at Luca. She just stared at the floor, realizing with absolute clarity that her golden ticket had turned out to be a one-way ticket to ruin.
“Let’s go, Mr. Vance,” the deputy said firmly, guiding a sputtering, furious Luca toward the front doors.
As they walked past the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, the storm outside seemed to briefly illuminate the driveway, casting long, stark shadows across the limestone floor. Luca cast one final, venomous glare in my direction, but his defiance was completely hollow. He was just a small, broken man in an expensive coat, paying the price for his own boundless arrogance.
When the heavy front doors finally clicked shut behind them, the silence in the villa returned—not heavy and oppressive this time, but clean, quiet, and profoundly peaceful.
Marcus let out a long breath, running a hand through his hair. “Well. That certainly concluded faster than expected.”
Victoria walked over to the dining table, picked up the empty leather folder that Luca had dropped, and tossed it straight into the recycling bin. “Trash disposal complete. Honestly, Jessi, I don't know how you put up with him for fourteen months, let alone fourteen years.”
“Habit,” I smiled faintly, walking over to the floating oak staircase and resting my hand on the smooth polished wood. “And stubbornness. But mostly, I wanted to make sure everything was completely legal before I pulled the rug out from under him.”
Arthur Sterling walked up, handing me a fresh, pristine document folder. “The emergency board meeting is scheduled for 9:00 AM tomorrow morning, Mrs. Vance. With Luca’s shares forfeited and the company restructured under your sole ownership, you can officially rebrand and take public whatever divisions you choose.”
“Thank you, Arthur,” I said, taking the folder. “Let’s make sure the legal team is ready first thing in the morning.”
Arthur nodded respectfully, tipped his head to Marcus and Victoria, and excused himself, stepping out into the quiet night rain.
Chloe was still standing by the fireplace, trembling slightly. She looked up at us with watery, pleading eyes. “What... what about me? Am I... am I going to be arrested too?”
May you like
Victoria looked at her as if she were a particularly unpleasant insect on a picnic table. “That depends entirely on whether you return every single gift, car, and piece of jewelry purchased with embezzled corporate funds by sunrise tomorrow. If you don't, I’ll personally make sure you’re named as a co-conspirator in every single federal indictment.”
Chloe didn't wait for a second warning. She grabbed her designer coat off the cream-colored chair, didn't bother looking back, and bolted for the front door, disappearing out into the storm within seconds.
