Chapter 7 - The Cleanup
The process of restoring a home after it has been invaded by parasites requires both physical and emotional purging.
By the end of the week, a professional restoration crew had thoroughly deep-cleaned the penthouse, scrubbing away every trace of the gaudy decor Beatrice and Julian had attempted to impose upon my sanctuary. The Bless This Home pillows went straight into a municipal waste bin. The folding lace table covers were donated to a local textile recycling drive. And the dark oak hardwood floors were buffed and polished until they shone like mirrors under the autumn sunlight.
Marcus Vance called on Friday afternoon with an update on the legal proceedings.
“The federal prosecutor has formally indicted Julian on three counts of wire fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of first-degree real estate forgery,” Marcus said, his tone brisk and professional over the speakerphone. “Given the digital paper trail he left behind—including the email threads where he explicitly discussed forging your signature—his defense counsel is advising him to take a plea deal. We’re looking at a mandatory federal sentence of at least five to seven years without parole.”
I stood by the kitchen island, looking out over the Atlanta skyline as the sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the clouds in brilliant shades of amber and violet.
“And the restitution?” I asked.
“All of his remaining liquid assets, his seized vehicle, and his corporate holdings are being liquidated to cover the legal fees and the damages inflicted on your credit profile,” Marcus replied. “Your credit has already been cleared through an expedited fraud affidavit, and the title registry is completely locked under your exclusive biometric signature.”
“Good,” I said. “Make sure every single penny of restitution is collected.”
“Will do, Veronica. By the way, how is your sister holding up? I heard she had surgery in Boston.”
May you like
“Audrey is recovering wonderfully,” I smiled, a genuine warmth finally breaking through the clinical coldness of the past week. “In fact, she’s flying down next weekend to help me celebrate a new corporate consulting contract I just signed with a Fortune 500 firm.”
“Now that,” Marcus laughed, “sounds like a real celebration.”
