Victoria backed up against the wide bottom stair step.
Her calm posture completely broke into sheer terror now.
She looked around the grand foyer like a trapped animal.
Victoria: Richard, please let us talk about this privately!
Richard: There is nothing private left between us anymore.
Victoria: I loved you, Richard! I really did!
Richard: You loved my money and my family estate.
Victoria: That Chicago case was a terrible legal mistake!
Mr. Harrison: The Chicago prosecutor is on the line right now.
Mr. Harrison raised his phone displaying an active call screen.
Red and blue flashing lights appeared through the glass front door.
Two local police cruisers pulled up along the circular driveway.
Victoria burst into sudden desperate tears near the door.
Victoria: You cannot ruin my life like this, Richard!
Richard: You tried to harm my innocent three year old daughter!
Victoria: I just wanted her out of the trust fund!
Richard: That makes you a monster in my eyes.
The front door opened and two officers walked inside.
They looked at Mr. Harrison who handed them files.
Officer: Victoria Vance, you are under arrest for fraud.
Officer: You are also charged with reckless child endangerment.
The officer pulled her arms gently behind her back.
Metal handcuffs clicked loudly across the quiet grand foyer.
Victoria sobbed loudly as she was led toward door.
She looked back at Richard one last desperate time.
Richard stood tall and firm with zero pity left.
Victoria: Richard, please do not do this to me!
Richard: Goodbye, Victoria. You will never harm us again.
The heavy front doors swung shut behind her back.
The sound echoed through the entire high foyer space.
Richard took a long deep breath of clear clean air.
The dark shadow over his family was finally gone.