Chapter 11 - The Fall of the House
My father sank heavily into a plastic hospital chair, rubbing his face with shaking hands. The reality of federal prison was finally dawning on him.
My mother, entirely ignoring the fact that I was covered in bruises, stepped forward.
"What about our new house?" she whispered, her voice cracking.
"The seller legally kept your massive deposit after you failed to close the deal," Mara said without a shred of sympathy. "The lender also reported your falsified application to the fraud department."
"That deposit was our entire retirement money!" my mother cried hysterically. "We are ruined!"
I met her tear-filled eyes, feeling absolutely nothing. No pity. No guilt.
"You gambled your retirement on my silence," I said softly. "You lost."
Realizing he had lost absolutely everything—his money, his reputation, his company—Grant completely snapped. He lunged violently toward my chair, his hands reaching for my throat.
Before he could even cross the room, one of the detectives stepped smoothly between us, grabbing Grant’s arm and twisting it painfully behind his back.
"Grant Hart, you are under arrest for aggravated assault, witness intimidation, and severe financial crimes," the detective announced, snapping cold steel handcuffs onto his wrists.
His polished, perfect mask finally shattered into a million pieces.
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"You’ll regret this, Evelyn!" he shouted desperately as they dragged him toward the door.
"No," I said, watching him leave. "I regret waiting so long."
