Chapter 6 - The Reckoning and the Real Beginning
Arthur Vance tried to slip out through the catering corridor, but Marcus intercepted him in three strides, pinning the older man against the mahogany wall and snapping stainless steel handcuffs around his wrists before the entire Manhattan elite.
On the stage, two female state police officers ascended the steps.
"Victoria Vance Sterling," Officer Reynolds announced, her voice booming over the chaos of the room. "You are under arrest for aggravated child abuse, unlawful imprisonment, and grand larceny."
"Get your hands off me!" Victoria shrieked, thrashing against the officers as the handcuffs clicked tightly behind her back. Her velvet dress tore slightly at the seam, her styled hair falling across her wild, frantic eyes. "Richard! You can't do this to me! I made you relevant again! You're nothing without my family's connections!"
Richard stepped down from the podium. He walked over until he was standing inches from her.
"Eleanor gave me a daughter," Richard said softly, his voice for her ears alone. "You gave me a lesson in why I should have looked closer. You will never see Maya again. You will never touch a single dollar of this estate. And I am going to spend every cent I have ensuring you and your father rot in state prison."
Victoria glared at him with pure hatred, spitting a curse as the officers dragged her down the stairs and out through the ballroom doors, past the flashing cameras of the press she had invited herself.
The ballroom was in total disarray. Guests were murmuring in shock, reporters were broadcasting live from their phones, and the Vance name had been destroyed in less than ten minutes.
Richard didn't care about any of it. He turned his back on the crowd, unbuttoned his tuxedo jacket, and walked through the private side door leading to the security annex.
He pushed the heavy reinforced door open.
Inside the quiet, warm room, Marcus’s German Shepherd was resting on the rug. And on the sofa, wrapped in her wool blanket, sat Maya.
Mrs. Gable was feeding her warm milk from a sippy cup.
When the door opened, Maya looked up. Her eyes went wide. But this time, there was no flinching. There was no shadow.
"Daddy!" she cried out.
Richard crossed the room in two strides, dropping to his knees on the rug and pulling his daughter into his arms. He buried his face in her soft hair, holding her so tightly against his chest that he could feel every breath, every heartbeat.
Tears, hot and silent, finally broke from Richard's eyes.
"I'm sorry, baby," Richard whispered, kissing her forehead over and over. "Daddy didn't see. But I see now. I promise you... Daddy sees everything now."
Maya wrapped her small arms around his neck, resting her cheek against his shoulder.
May you like
"Home now, Daddy?" she whispered softly.
Richard closed his eyes, holding her against the quiet night. "Yeah, sweetheart. We're home."
