Chapter 8: The Cornered Wolf
Victoria’s aristocratic composure shattered in an instant. Her face turned pale beneath her expensive foundation as the two federal agents approached the booth, flashing gold badges.
"Victoria Vance Sterling?" Special Agent Torres stated firmly. "You are under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder, wire fraud, and witness tampering."
"This is an outrage!" Victoria shrieked, drawing the horrified stares of Manhattan’s elite diners. "Do you know who my attorneys are? Julian! Call Julian right now!"
"Julian is currently being detained at company headquarters," Agent Torres replied calmly, clasping cold steel handcuffs around Victoria's wrists. "We executed a search warrant on his server farms an hour ago. The blue ledger provided everything we needed."
Victoria turned toward Elena, her manicured facade entirely disintegrating into raw hysteria. "You ungrateful little brat! Everything I did was to secure what was mine! You will rot in hell for this!"
Elena remained seated, watching silently as the agents escorted the screaming socialite through the mirrored doors of the restaurant. There was no joy in the victory—only the heavy, exhausting reality of how toxic greed could rot a human soul.
Her phone vibrated on the white linen tablecloth. It was Dr. Jonathan Patel.
Elena snatched the phone, her heart hammering against her ribs. "Jonathan? What happened?"
"Elena, you need to come to St. Jude immediately," Jonathan's voice was breathless.
"Is he... is he gone?" Elena asked, terror seizing her throat.
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"No," Jonathan replied, a warm tremor in his voice. "He's awake. And he's asking for his daughter."
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