Chapter 27 - The Trap Springs Shut
The federal indictment hit the news wires at 6:00 AM EST, preempting morning talk shows and sending shockwaves through the financial capitals of the world. *“Arthur Miller Indicted on Federal RICO and Money Laundering Charges; International Assets Seized.”* The headlines blared across every major news network, eclipsing the civil lawsuit Arthur and Vivienne had so carefully orchestrated in Zurich just days prior. In federal prison upstate, Arthur Miller was reportedly pulled from his cell before dawn, stripped of his remaining privileges, and transferred to a maximum-security holding facility to await immediate federal arraignment. Meanwhile, in a luxury chalet high in the Swiss Alps, Vivienne awoke to the sound of heavily armed local tactical police pounding on her carved oak doors, executing an international red-notice arrest warrant issued by Interpol at the direct behest of the U.S. Department of Justice. The Swiss banking authorities, eager to distance themselves from the unfolding scandal, instantly froze every single account tied to Obsidian Veil, locking Vivienne out of her multi-million dollar safe havens before she could even reach her legal counsel.
Clara watched the breaking news unfold on the flat-screen TV in her temporary Chicago penthouse suite, the very city where her nightmare had begun six years ago. The snow continued to fall heavily outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, blanketing the glittering skyline in a pure, silent white. The phone on the marble coffee table buzzed. It was Marcus Vance, calling from the federal courthouse down the street. "Mrs. Miller, Arthur’s defense team has just filed an emergency motion for a plea bargain," Marcus reported, his voice tinged with triumphant disbelief. "They’re offering to drop all custody claims, forfeit any remaining interest in the estate, and plead guilty to all federal counts if the DOJ agrees to spare him maximum sentencing." Clara took a slow sip of her tea, her gaze fixed on the snow-covered street below where paparazzi were frantically trying to photograph the federal building entrance. "Tell the prosecutors my answer is no," Clara said softly, her voice unyielding. "There are no plea bargains for men who put a price tag on their own children. Let him stand in front of a federal judge and explain to the world how he tried to buy back the family he threw away."
