“Arthur? What is this?” she asked, her voice cracking slightly as the officers approached her.
“Vivian Sterling,” the lead detective announced, “you are under arrest for grand larceny, filing a false police report, and felony corporate embezzlement.”
The elegant mask completely shattered. She shrieked, thrashing against the officers as the handcuffs clicked around her manicured wrists. She looked at me, her eyes spitting pure venom. “You can’t do this to me! I built this life with you! You’re nothing without me!”
I stood on the marble steps, looking down at her, completely detached. “You threatened my sons, Vivian. You’re lucky these officers got to you before I did.”
FINAL
The aftermath of the storm was quiet, but the healing was slow.
The charges against Maya were dropped immediately. I personally picked her up from the precinct, apologizing profusely on behalf of my family. I provided her with a massive financial settlement for the trauma she endured, and though I offered her her job back with a tripled salary, I entirely understood when she quietly chose to return home to her family to heal. She did, however, come to visit the boys one last time to give them a proper, happy goodbye, ensuring they knew she was safe.
Vivian’s trial was swift. The mountain of financial evidence, combined with the video of her framing our staff, left her legal team with no defense. She pleaded guilty to avoid a maximum sentence and was sentenced to a lengthy term in a federal penitentiary. The divorce was finalized shortly after, with the courts granting me sole and absolute custody of the twins.
