Elena took a step back and pulled out her cell phone.
She tapped the screen to place a call on speaker mode.
The phone rang twice before a stern voice answered loudly.
Detective Vance: Elena, are you inside the house yet?
Elena: I am inside, Vance. I found Maya under the table.
Detective Vance: We are standing right outside your front gate now.
Her stepmother’s face lost all of its fake color instantly.
Her father stumbled back against the heavy mahogany dining table.
Father: You brought the police to my private home?
Elena: You committed kidnapping and document fraud, Dad.
Stepmother: We raised her! We gave her a roof over her head!
Elena: You hid her like a dirty secret while taking my inheritance!
Heavy footsteps echoed down the long grand hallway outside.
Two uniformed police officers entered the bright dining room.
Detective Vance walked in right behind them with legal documents.
Detective Vance: Victoria Vance, you are under arrest for child concealment.
Stepmother: Get your hands off me! Do you know who I am?
The officers quickly secured her hands behind her back.
Maya buried her face safely in the crook of Elena's neck.
Elena stroked her daughter's blonde hair to keep her calm.
Father: Detective, there must be some kind of misunderstanding here.
Detective Vance: We have the forensic report on the forged signature, sir.
Father: I didn't sign anything! It was all Victoria's idea!
Stepmother: You coward! You knew everything from the start!
The couple began screaming at each other as officers led them out.
The luxury dining room fell into a heavy, quiet stillness.
Her stepbrother quickly slipped out the side door in shame.
Elena looked down at her daughter and smiled through her tears.
The long years of dark nightmare were finally coming to an end.