Chapter 3 - The Prosecutor
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Ethan’s hands shook violently as he unlocked the deadbolt and pulled the heavy door open.
Two uniformed police officers stepped into the foyer, their eyes scanning the scene with sharp authority. Right behind them was my brother, Adrian. He was still wearing his tailored grey suit from the federal courthouse downtown, his silk tie loosened just a fraction, his eyes burning with a dangerous focus.
Adrian bypassed the officers instantly, coming straight to my side. His hands hovered over my shoulders, carefully inspecting me.
"Are you hurt?" he asked, his voice low and tight.
"My shoulder hit the wall hard," I whispered, resting my head against his arm for a brief second. "And I'm having light cramping."
Adrian's eyes flicked to the faint red mark visible on my left shoulder through my blouse. Then, he turned around slowly to face Ethan and Margaret.
"You locked my pregnant sister in this house and tried to extort her bank account?" Adrian asked.
Margaret straightened her collar, trying desperately to regain her regal composure. "Now listen here, young man. This is a private family disagreement about wedding finances. You have no right to bring police into my home."
"No," Adrian said, stepping forward. "This is unlawful imprisonment, second-degree assault on a pregnant individual, and attempted grand larceny."
Ethan reached toward me with a desperate, pleading expression. "Lena, please tell them we were just having an argument! Tell them we're fine! Think about our baby, think about our future!"
I looked at the man I had lived with for two years, the man whose ring was currently sitting in a box on my nightstand, and I felt a profound, ice-cold clarity wash over me.
"We are not fine, Ethan," I said, my voice echoing off the hardwood floor. "We will never be fine again."
The lead officer stepped between Ethan and me, pulling a pair of handcuffs from his utility belt. "Sir, turn around and place your hands behind your back."
"What?!" Margaret shrieked, her voice cracking into a high-pitched scream. "You can't arrest my son! He didn't touch her! I was the one who—"
"Ma'am, keep your hands where I can see them," the second officer warned, stepping toward Margaret. "You are also under arrest for domestic assault and unlawful restraint."
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As the metal cuffs clicked shut around Ethan’s wrists, he looked back at me, his eyes wide with utter shock. He had spent his entire life believing his charm and his mother's manipulation could smooth over any crime.
He had no idea that his reign was officially over.
