Chapter 7 - The Falling of the Dominoes
The aftermath of the televised interview was a swift, brutal execution of justice.
As the live broadcast cut to commercial, news feeds across Miami simultaneously reported the live arrest of Richard Vance and Penelope Pendelton at their residence. They were escorted out in handcuffs, swarmed by paparazzi, their faces twisted in shock and shame. The charges were severe: corporate fraud, defamation, and attempting to illegally manipulate stock values.
Penelope's husband, Arthur Pendelton, wasted no time. Within six hours of her arrest, his lawyers filed for an emergency annulment of their marriage, citing fraud and deception on the part of the Vance family. He publicly stripped her of the Pendelton name, leaving her completely destitute and isolated in a holding cell.
My mother, left entirely alone in their rented apartment with no money and no social standing, sent me a frantic, handwritten letter begging for a meeting at a quiet cafe on the outskirts of the city. Blake advised against it, but I needed to close this chapter of my life once and for all.
When I walked into the modest cafe, my mother looked pathetic. Her designer clothes were gone, replaced by cheap, off-the-rack garments. Her hair was graying at the roots, and her hands shook as she held a cup of cheap black coffee.
"Clara," she sobbed, reaching across the table to grab my hands. I quietly pulled my hands back, placing them on my lap. "Please, you have to talk to Blake. Tell him to drop the lawsuit. Your father can't survive prison, and Penelope... she’s losing her mind in there. We’re your family, Clara! We raised you!"
"You didn't raise me, Mother," I said, my voice hollow and cold. "You tolerated me while using me as a scapegoat for Penelope’s failures. When Father shoved me into that fountain, you looked away. When the guests laughed, you smiled. You chose your side a long time ago."
"We were wrong!" she cried, attracting stares from the other patrons. "We were so wrong! Please, just give us a allowance... just enough to buy back our house... we'll do whatever you want!"
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"It's too late for apologies," I said, standing up. Blake’s security team immediately stepped up behind my chair, ensuring she couldn't approach me. "The law will decide Father and Penelope’s punishment. As for you, I've instructed my lawyers to set up a minimal monthly stipend—just enough for a basic apartment and food. You will never starve, but you will never step foot into high society again. This is the last time you will ever see me."
I turned and walked away, her desperate cries fading behind the heavy glass doors of the cafe. The weight that had been on my chest for twenty-five years finally lifted, entirely gone.
