Chapter 9: The Reckoning on Stage
Instead of fleeing, Maya walked out onto the mezzanine balcony overlooking the grand ballroom, stepping directly into the glare of the follow-spot.
"Turn around, Eleanor," Maya said. Her voice, routed through Dr. Vance’s auxiliary lapel mic connected to the soundboard, echoed with absolute authority.
The entire crowd looked up. Eleanor turned, clutching the podium until her knuckles turned white.
"Maya!" Eleanor gasped, trying to regain control. "Ladies and gentlemen, my stepdaughter has been terribly ill! She escaped her psychiatric care facility—"
"The cast is off, Eleanor," Maya interrupted, descending the grand curved marble staircase into the center of the crowd. Guests parted instantly, giving her a clear path to the stage. "The lies are over. You didn't just try to steal an empire; you stole a man’s life, and you tried to erase his daughter."
Federal agents and city detectives, tipped off by Julian Hayes with the uncompressed master files an hour earlier, pushed through the double glass doors of the lobby.
"Eleanor Sterling?" Lead Detective Marcus walked briskly onto the stage, holding an arrest warrant and a set of steel handcuffs. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law."
Eleanor lunged at Maya with exposed claws, but two officers intercepted her, forcing her hands behind her back.
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"You're nothing without me!" Eleanor shrieked as she was dragged down the stage. "You're a child!"
"I was a child," Maya replied softly. "Now, I'm the owner."
