Victoria: Julian, you can't believe her! I am your wife! I raised that boy for two years!
Maya: You didn't raise him, Victoria. You left him with nannies every day while you spent Julian's family trust fund in Europe!
Victoria: How dare you! I am a Sterling!
Julian: You are a criminal, Victoria.
Julian pulled his smartphone from his suit jacket pocket, his fingers tapping the screen quickly as he brought the device to his ear[cite: 1].
Victoria: Who are you calling?! Julian, stop!
Julian: Detective Miller? This is Julian Sterling. I need you to pull up the original adoption file for my son from the St. Jude Clinic vault immediately.
Victoria: Julian, don't do this! Think about our marriage!
Julian: Detective, check the digital notary stamp on the maternal waiver form signed two years ago.
Victoria thrashed her hands in desperation, stepping up to Julian to grab his arm, but he pushed her hand away with total disgust[cite: 1]. The phone speaker chimed as Detective Miller's voice echoed clearly over the line[cite: 1].
"Mr. Sterling, we audited that clinic file two weeks ago during a state fraud investigation. The maternal waiver form signed by Maya Vance was flagged as a complete forgery. The notary seal belongs to a revoked license."
Victoria let out a sharp, choked gasp, stumbling backward on the grass as her face drained of all color[cite: 1].
Julian: Did you hear that, Victoria? The state already knows it was a forgery.
Victoria: Julian... please! I did it for us! I wanted to give you a family so your father would release the sixty-million-dollar inheritance!
Maya: You used my baby as a bargaining chip to unlock a trust fund!
Julian: You stole a child from his biological mother just so you could secure corporate voting shares in Sterling Global!
Victoria: It was my right as your wife! My family's firm invested ten million dollars into your real estate project!
Julian: Your family's firm was placed under federal receivership yesterday morning, Victoria. You have nothing left.
Fire engines screeched to a halt along the long estate driveway, firefighters leaping out with heavy hoses to contain the blazing mansion ruins[cite: 1]. Right behind them, two police cruisers pulled up near the American flag, their red and blue lights flashing against the green lawn[cite: 1].
Detective Miller stepped out of the lead cruiser, flanked by two uniformed officers[cite: 1]. He walked straight toward Victoria, holding a black leather folder containing an official arrest warrant[cite: 1].
Detective Miller: Victoria Sterling? You are under arrest for grand child trafficking, document forgery, and wire fraud.
Victoria: Get your hands off me! Do you know who my lawyers are?!
Detective Miller: Your lawyers resigned from your case an hour ago, ma'am. Handcuff her, officers.
The cold steel handcuffs clicked firmly around Victoria's wrists, pinning her hands behind her green designer dress[cite: 1]. She thrashed against the officers' grip, her hair falling wild around her face as she was led toward the patrol car[cite: 1].
Victoria: Julian! Tell them to stop! Maya, forgive me! I'll pay you millions!
Maya: Keep your dirty money, Victoria. You will never see my son again.