Chapter 10 - The Fall from Grace
A collective gasp sucked the air from the ballroom. Whispers erupted instantly into an overwhelming roar of shock. Siera turned white as marble, her hand instinctively flying to her throat to cover the necklace. Julian froze mid-stride, his glass slipping from his fingers and shattering across the parquet floor, spraying champagne across the shoes of stunned investors.
"What is the meaning of this?" Julian stammered, stepping toward the stage, his voice breaking. "Arthur, this is a technical error! This is fabrication!"
"There is no error, Julian," Arthur said calmly through the microphone. "Nor is there an error in the federal wire fraud indictment filed against you two hours ago with the Southern District of New York."
Before Julian could react, the side doors of the ballroom swung open. Two federal agents in plainclothes walked briskly down the central aisle. But they weren't the ones who arrested his attention. Walking directly behind them was Emma.
She wore the emerald dress, her hair swept up in an elegant chignon, her chin held high and her eyes burning with fierce, unyielding resolve. She wasn't the broken, weeping woman he had left in the penthouse. She looked regal, terrifying, and entirely in control.
"Emma?" Julian choked out, backing away toward the perimeter of the room. "Emma, what have you done?"
May you like
She stopped two feet in front of him, looking down at the ruined man who had tried to steal her children's future. "I told you, Julian," she whispered clearly enough for the front row to hear. "I know now."
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