Chapter 8 - The Falling Cards
Margaret shrank back into her chair, realizing her final bluff had been called.
"What do you want from me?" she whimpered, tears finally breaking through her cold façade. "I have nothing left. You've humiliated me in front of the whole world."
"You humiliated yourself," I answered coldly. "When you pulled off my wig, you thought you were exposing my shame. But all you did was show the world your own emptiness. Cancer took my hair, Margaret. But cruelty took your soul."
Flashing red and blue lights illuminated the high frosted glass of the study windows. The sound of sirens echoed up the long driveway.
"The police are here," Ethan announced, checking his watch. "Not for your fake suicide attempt. But for the three million dollars in tax fraud my lawyers uncovered in your personal foundation files this afternoon."
Olivia gasped, standing up instantly. "Tax fraud? Mom, what is he talking about?"
"Shut up, Olivia!" Margaret snapped, panic finally taking over her voice.
Two uniformed officers, accompanied by investigators from the State Financial Crimes Bureau, entered the study.
"Margaret Blackwood?" the lead officer asked, pulling out a set of handcuffs. "You are under arrest for grand larceny, tax evasion, and conspiracy to commit corporate embezzlement. You have the right to remain silent."
As the metal cuffs clicked around Margaret’s wrists, she looked at me with absolute hatred. "You’ll rot in hell, Clara!"
"Maybe," I whispered as they led her past me. "But I’ll do it on my own terms. And fully healed."
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Olivia tried to slip past the officers, but the lead investigator turned to her. "Olivia Blackwood? You're coming with us too for questioning regarding corporate extortion."
Olivia broke down into loud, ugly tears as she was led down the stairs in handcuffs behind her mother. The grand mansion, once the symbol of their unshakeable cruelty, stood silent and empty around us.
