Chapter 7 - The Trap SpringsThe crowd erupted into chaotic shouting. News camera flashes began strobe-lighting the terrace frantically.
“That’s a lie!” Sienna shrieked, clutching her belly, her face red with panic. “She’s trying to frame us! Richard loves me! He built this company!”
“He didn't build a damn thing, Sienna,” I said coldly, turning my gaze to the trembling girl. “He was a junior manager making sixty thousand a year when I met him. Every contract, every asset, every stock share in Sterling Enterprises was funded by my father’s trust.”
Samuel Sterling stepped forward, handing a second stack of legal court orders directly to District Attorney Vance.
“Over the last sixty days,” Samuel explained to the room, “under Mrs. Sterling’s direct authority, we executed a forensic audit of Richard’s corporate activities. We recovered sixty-two unswallowed samples of the Thallium tea, fully documented with DNA evidence and chemical analysis.”
District Attorney Vance stepped up to Richard, pulling a pair of heavy steel handcuffs from his coat pocket.
“Richard Sterling,” DA Vance declared loudly, his voice echoing over the microphone. “You are under arrest for attempted premeditated murder, felony poisoning, corporate embezzlement, and grand larceny.”
“No! Get your hands off me!” Richard screamed, trying to pull away as two heavy LAPD detectives grabbed his arms, slamming him face-first onto the podium table.
The metallic snap-snap of handcuffs locking around Richard’s wrists echoed across the silent terrace.
“Victoria! Please!” Richard sobbed, tears spilling down his sweating face as his grand illusion collapsed into ashes. “It was Sienna! She tricked me! She seduced me! She wanted the money! I love you, Victoria! Please, don't do this to me!”
Sienna gasped in horror. “You pathetic coward! You told me she was a rich corpse! You said we’d be billionaires!”
“Furthermore,” Samuel Sterling added, pulling out a final set of legal deeds, “as of 8:00 AM this morning, the board of directors has voted unanimously to strip Richard Sterling of all executive titles. Pursuant to the clawback provisions of the Sterling Trust, all personal assets, bank accounts, vehicles, and this Bel Air estate have been fully reclaimed by Victoria Sterling.”
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I leaned down close to Richard’s ear as the detectives pulled him to his feet.
“You asked me to roll back to my room because I was ruining your morning, Richard,” I whispered, my voice dripping with sweet, lethal satisfaction. “Now, the police are going to roll you into a six-by-eight cell for the rest of your life. Enjoy the new chapter.”
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