Grant backed away until his shoulders hit the white wall of the grand bedroom.
Grant: "You think you can just march in here and take her away? My lawyers will have a restraining order against you by dinner!"
Marcus: "Your lawyers won't be able to help you where you're going, Grant."
Grant: "I have millions of dollars in liquid assets! I own this city's top defense attorneys!"
Marcus: "And I have the United States Military Police standing right outside your front gate."
Evelyn's face turned completely white as she rushed to the bedroom window, peering through the sheer curtains.
Evelyn: "Marcus... what did you do?!"
Marcus: "I called the base commander the moment Claire missed our weekly Sunday phone call. I knew something was wrong."
Grant: "Military police have no jurisdiction over civilian property! You're breaking federal law!"
Marcus: "This property is under federal investigation for treason and defense contract fraud, Grant."
Grant’s jaw dropped in absolute shock.
Grant: "What... what are you talking about?!"
Marcus: "Did you really think I didn't look into your father's logistics company before letting Claire marry you?"
Claire: "Papa... you knew about his company?"
Marcus: "I've been monitoring his accounts for six months, Claire. I was waiting for the final paper trail."
Grant: "You used your daughter to spy on my family?!"
Marcus: "I never wanted Claire involved! I warned her against marrying a vulture like you, but she loved you!"
Claire began to sob softly, hiding her bruised face in her hands.
Claire: "I thought he loved me, Papa... I thought we were building a life together."
Marcus: "He didn't love you, sweetheart. He loved your mother's thirty-million-dollar trust fund and your family name."
Grant: "That trust fund belonged to my family's firm the moment she married me!"
Marcus: "That trust fund is protected under federal military family protection statutes. You didn't steal from Claire... you stole from a military legacy."
Evelyn grabbed her son’s arm, her voice trembling with panic.
Evelyn: "Grant, call your father right now! Tell him to get the CEO of the bank on the phone!"
Marcus: "Your husband is already in handcuffs at his downtown office, Evelyn."
Evelyn: "What?! No! That's impossible!"
Marcus: "The FBI executed three search warrants twenty minutes ago. Your mansions, your offshore accounts, and your private jet are all seized."
Grant rushed toward Marcus, grabbing him by his uniform lapels with a desperate, wild look in his eyes.
Grant: "You ruined my life! You ruined everything!"
Marcus didn't even flinch. He grabbed Grant’s wrists with iron grips, twisting them downward until Grant dropped to his knees on the marble floor.
Marcus: "You ruined your own life the second you raised your hand against my child."
Grant: "Argh! Let go of me! You're breaking my wrists!"
Marcus: "You're lucky I'm wearing this uniform, Grant. Otherwise, you wouldn't be walking out of here."
Claire reached out from the bed, her voice weak but firm.
Claire: "Papa... let him go. Don't ruin your career for a coward."
Marcus looked down at Grant with disgust, releasing his wrists and pushing him backward onto the cold floor.
Marcus: "Listen to my daughter. She has more honor in her pinky finger than your entire bloodline."
Grant lay on his back, gasping for air as his mother kneeled beside him in tears.
Evelyn: "You monster! Look at what you're doing to my son!"
Marcus: "Look at what your son did to my daughter! Look at her belly, Evelyn!"
Evelyn glanced up at Claire’s bruised, pale body on the bed, her mouth opening in quiet shame before she looked away.
Marcus: "You knew, didn't you? You knew he was putting his hands on her!"
Evelyn: "I... I told him to be gentle... I told him she was delicate..."
Marcus: "You enabled an abuser. You are just as guilty as he is."
Heavy footsteps echoed down the marble hallway outside the master bedroom.
Two uniformed FBI agents and a military medic walked through the door, their badges gleaming under the bright lights.
FBI Agent Miller: "General Vance? The house is secured."
Marcus: "Take these two into custody. The evidence of domestic assault and fraud is right here."