Dr. Vance’s face turned gray. He slowly pulled his hand away from his jacket, stepped back toward the elevator, and lowered his head. “I had nothing to do with this,” he muttered, his voice trembling. “I was only asked to evaluate a patient.”
“You are a coward, Vance!” Celeste snapped, turning her anger back on Claire. “Do you really think you can destroy us? We own the legal system in this city. My husband’s associates will have those warrants dissolved before morning!”
“Your husband’s associates were arrested thirty minutes ago at the downtown gala,” Claire said calmly.
The declaration hung in the air like a heavy weight. Julian dropped onto the edge of the velvet sofa, his strength completely leaving him. Celeste gasped, taking an involuntary step backward, her hand clutching her pearls.
“The embezzlement scheme wasn’t just Julian’s idea,” Claire continued, stepping closer to Celeste. “It was yours. You used your son’s marriage as the final piece of the puzzle, intending to pin three hundred million dollars of missing corporate assets on an unsuspecting daughter-in-law, then commit her to a private facility where she could never defend herself. It was a thorough plan. But you made one critical mistake.”
Celeste stared at her, unable to speak.
“You assumed that quiet people have nothing to say,” Claire said. “You mistook kindness for weakness, and humility for submission.”
A sudden, sharp chime echoed through the penthouse as the private elevator doors opened once more. This time, four federal agents in dark suits stepped out into the foyer, followed by two uniformed officers. The lead agent held a thick stack of federal arrest warrants.
“Celeste Cole, Julian Cole, and Dr. Vance,” the lead agent announced, his voice echoing in the vast space. “You are all under arrest for federal financial fraud, conspiracy, and attempted unlawful restraint.”
Julian did not offer any resistance as the officers stepped forward and placed handcuffs around his wrists. The arrogance that had defined his face for two years was entirely gone, replaced by a dull, hollow shock. Celeste stood frozen, her eyes fixed on Claire as the handcuffs clicked around her own wrists.
