Chapter 3 - The Falling Empire
Within fifteen minutes, the grand birthday party of the year had transformed into a crime scene.
Four cruisers from the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department pulled up the long, tree-lined driveway of the Callaway estate, their red and blue lights flashing against the white limestone pillars of the mansion.
The guests hurried out to their valets in hushed, dramatic whispers, eager to be the first to spread the scandal across the country clubs of Nashville and Franklin.
In the center of the ruined ballroom, two uniformed deputies stood beside Lorraine Callaway.
The riding crop lay on the cake table as evidence, bagged in clear plastic.
"Lorraine Callaway," the lead deputy said, reading from a legal document. "You are under arrest for grand larceny, corporate embezzlement, wire fraud, identity theft, and felony assault."
Lorraine stood stiffly, her face pale as chalk, refusing to look at the handcuffs being clicked around her manicured wrists. She glared at Camille with a venom that could have burned through steel.
"You think you’ve won, don't you, you pathetic little clerk?" Lorraine hissed as the deputies began escorting her toward the front doors. "You think Andre will stay with you after this? You've destroyed his family name! You’ve ruined everything his father built!"
Camille stood beside Andre, her posture erect, her arm slipping into his.
"David Callaway built a company on honor, Lorraine," Camille replied steadily. "You built a prison out of pride. The company will survive. You won't."
Lorraine was led out through the double oak doors, her high heels clicking loudly until the heavy doors slammed shut, cutting off her presence forever.
The massive ballroom was empty now, save for the caterers who were quietly packing away silver trays, and the shattered glass on the floor.
Andre turned to Camille. He looked as if he had aged ten years in ten minutes. His chest heaved with heavy, ragged breaths, his eyes bloodshot with unshed tears.
He looked down at the red welt on her shoulder, reaching out with a trembling hand, barely touching the bruised skin.
"Camille..." he choked out, a sob rising in his throat. "I... I let her do this to you. I stood there. I froze."
"You didn't freeze at the end, Andre," Camille said softly, taking his hand and pressing it against her cheek.
"It shouldn't have taken a whip across your shoulder for me to wake up!" Andre cried out, falling to his knees on the marble floor, burying his face against her waist, his body shaking with deep, wracking sobs. "I’m so sorry, Camille. God, I’m so sorry. I spent my whole life trying to keep her happy, trying to protect the family... and I let her torture the only person who actually loved me."
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Camille knelt down on the cold floor beside him, wrapping her arms around his shaking shoulders, holding him tight against her heart.
"It’s over now, Andre," she whispered, tears finally slipping down her own cheeks. "The monster is gone. Now we build something real."
