PART 6: Justice Wears a Suit
PART 6: Justice Wears a Suit
Underworld syndicates settle family accounts.
"Victoria Montgomery," Marcus announced clearly, holding up the legal document as he approached her. "You are hereby served with an emergency restraining order, alongside pending criminal charges for felony elder abuse, workplace assault, extortion, and corporate conspiracy."
Victoria screamed—a shrill, ear-piercing sound of pure, unadulterated panic that rattled the crystal chandelier overhead.
"Get away from me! Don't touch me! You can't do this to me, I’m a Montgomery!" she shrieked, thrashing wildly as two security operatives grabbed her arms and pinned her hands behind her back.
"She’s resisting, sir," Marcus reported calmly, looking at me for authorization.
"Cuff her ankles if you have to, Marcus, just get her out of my sight," I ordered, turning my back on her as she was dragged screaming across the Persian rug toward the private service exit.
"Preston! You bastard! You’ll pay for this! You’ll regret the day you were born!" her voice echoed down the hallway until the heavy reinforced service door slammed shut, cutting off her hysterical cries once and for all.
The drawing room plunged into a profound, heavy silence.
The air felt lighter, washed clean of the toxic perfume and venomous whispers that had polluted my home for months.
I walked slowly down the corridor toward the private family quarters, stopping outside my mother’s bedroom door.
I knocked softly and pushed it open.
My mother sat propped up in her bed, looking pale and fragile, while Sarah stood beside her, gently dabbing a warm washcloth against her forehead.
When they saw me enter, both of them tensed up, expecting more fallout from the afternoon’s confrontation.
I walked over to the bedside, knelt down on one knee, and took my mother’s frail, wrinkled hand in mine.
"She’s gone, Mom," I said softly, my voice filled with a warmth and gentleness I never showed anyone else in the world. "She’s never coming back into this house."
My mother stared at me, her eyes shimmering with sudden, overwhelming tears of relief.
"Preston... are you sure?" she whispered, her voice breaking. "She had so much power... her family..."
"Nobody has more power in this city than the man who protects his own family," I assured her, pressing a tender kiss to the back of her hand. "I’m sorry I didn't check the monitors sooner, Mom. I’m sorry I let a wolf into the hen house."
Sarah looked down, offering a shy, grateful smile. "Thank you, Mr. Hale. For everything."
"Thank you for protecting my mother when I failed to do it myself, Sarah," I replied, standing up. "Your salary is tripled effective immediately, and any time you need security support, my men answer directly to you."
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The nightmare was over.
The trap had sprung, snapping shut with absolute, irreversible finality.
