Clara lunged forward, her long fingernails reaching toward Mark's hands as he held the glowing phone away from her reach.
Clara: Mark, stop! Touch that screen and I swear I'll ruin you completely!
Mark: You can't ruin me, Clara. You just destroyed yourself.
Clara: I know about the offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands, Mark! I know how your father moved the business capital before the tax audit!
Mark: Go ahead and tell the authorities! I have nothing to hide! But you have a serious felony child endangerment charge waiting for you at the front gate!
Before Clara could reply, the heavy iron gates at the end of the long mansion driveway began to creak open slowly. Bright headlights cut through the dark trees as two black sedans pulled up the driveway, stopping right beside the illuminated pool area. Out stepped Arthur Vance, the senior managing partner of Dallas Legal Assets, accompanied by two uniformed police officers.
Arthur Vance: Good evening, Mark. I got your emergency broadcast message twenty minutes ago.
Mark: Thank you for coming so fast, Arthur. The footage is already saved on the cloud server.
Arthur Vance: Excellent work. Officers, this is Mrs. Clara Sterling. We have live video evidence showing an intentional act of violence against a minor on this property.
Clara: Arthur! You worked for my father for fifteen years! You can't do this to me!
Arthur Vance: I work for the Sterling Estate Trust, Clara. And my duty is to protect the primary beneficiary, which happens to be young Lily.
Officer Ramirez: Ma'am, keep your hands where we can see them, please.
Clara: Get your hands off me! Do you know who I am? My family owns half the commercial real estate on this block!
Officer Ramirez: Ma'am, turn around and place your hands behind your back right now.
Clara: Mark! Tell them to stop! Tell them we can handle this privately!
Mark: Privately? You stood on those rose petals and told our daughter to disappear into the abyss. You lost the right to speak to me privately the second she hit that water.
The metallic click of handcuffs echoed across the quiet pool deck. Clara struggled uselessly against the officer's firm grip, her sweeping red gown dragging through the wet rose petals as she was turned toward the police vehicle.
Officer Ramirez: You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
Clara: Arthur, call my mother! Call Victoria right now! Tell her Mark is taking the entire trust fund!
Arthur Vance: Your mother was served with a federal deposition order an hour ago, Clara. She won't be helping you tonight.
Clara: What deposition? What are you talking about?
Arthur Vance: Victoria signed fraudulent power-of-attorney documents three days after Mr. Sterling senior was admitted to the hospital. We caught the paper trail through the bank's digital ledger.
Clara stopped fighting suddenly, her knees buckling as the full reality of her family's failed takeover hit her all at once. The officer held her up firmly by her arm, guiding her into the back seat of the dark police cruiser. The heavy door slammed shut with a thud, cutting off her shrill shouts. Mark stood by the edge of the pool, watching the red tail lights disappear down the long driveway. Arthur stepped up beside him, opening a thin leather folder.
Arthur Vance: We need to secure the safe inside the house before morning, Mark. The original trust fund contract is in there, and Victoria might have extra keys.
Mark: Let's go inside. My daughter needs to know that this house is finally safe.