Evelyn struggled against the officer's strong grip, but she could not break free. She glared at Victoria with eyes full of pure hatred as she was dragged out toward the hallway door.
Evelyn: You ruined everything! That money belonged to my family!
Victoria: That money belongs to Clara, and you will spend the rest of your life in a small cell.
Julian: Mom, please help me! I do not want to go to prison!
The police officers led the crying mother and son down the wide staircase and out the front doors. Clara watched from her wheelchair as her cruel stepmother was loaded into the back of a black police cruiser. The heavy doors slammed shut, ending the nightmare that had lasted for two long years.
Victoria knelt down in front of Clara's wheelchair, taking her daughter's cold hands into her own warm ones. Tears filled both of their eyes as they finally shared a real, safe hug for the first time in a decade.
Victoria: I am so sorry I had to stay away for so long, my sweet girl.
Clara: How did you survive the boat crash, Mom?
Victoria: Your father helped me hide after Evelyn threatened our lives years ago. We waited for the right moment to catch her red-handed.
Clara: I thought I was going to lose my life today on that floor.
Victoria: You were so brave to push that speed-dial button. You saved us both, Clara.
The ambulance arrived a few minutes later, and the paramedics quickly checked Clara's blood pressure and heart rate. They confirmed that the Epipen had saved her life just in time, and the poison in her system would leave her body in a few days.