Chapter 4 - The Strike
The ballroom at the Ritz-Carlton was dripping in crystal chandeliers and excessive floral arrangements. Adrian always loved spending money he didn't have to impress people who didn't care about him.
I stood in the shadows of the mezzanine balcony, looking down at the crowd. I wore a crimson power suit, my hair sleek, my makeup flawless. I felt like a weapon unsheathed.
Down below, Adrian stood at the microphone, holding a glass of champagne. He looked handsome, polished, and completely oblivious to the sniper dots of reality resting on his chest.
Vanessa clung to his arm, wearing a diamond necklace I immediately recognized as a family heirloom Adrian had sworn was lost in the move.
“Friends, investors, colleagues,” Adrian spoke smoothly into the mic. “This has been a year of transition. But with our new seven-million-dollar capital injection, Vanguard Tech is poised to dominate the market.”
The crowd applauded.
“And on a personal note,” Adrian smiled, looking fondly at the mistress who had helped him lock a bleeding mother out in the rain. “I want to thank the woman who has stood by me through this difficult transition. Vanessa.”
More polite applause.
It was time.
I nodded to my mother, who was standing by the main doors.
She didn't just open the doors; she had security push them wide.
In walked Eleanor Sterling, flanked by four federal agents in windbreakers, two uniformed police officers, and a team of process servers.
The music scratched to a halt. The murmurs of the crowd died instantly.
Adrian squinted against the spotlights. “Excuse me, this is a private event.”
My mother ignored him. She marched straight up to the stage, the heels of her Louboutins clicking sharply against the marble floor.
“Adrian Cross,” my mother said. She didn't use a microphone, but her voice carried the weight of a judge passing a death sentence.
Adrian’s face paled as he finally recognized her. “Eleanor? What are you doing here? Where is Serena?”
“My daughter is resting,” my mother replied coldly. “I am here in my capacity as senior partner of Sterling, Vance & Associates, representing the Sterling Family Trust.”
“The... what?” Adrian stammered.
Vanessa looked confused, whispering fiercely into his ear.
One of the federal agents stepped onto the stage. “Adrian Cross, you are under arrest for federal bank fraud, wire fraud, and grand theft via forgery.”
The crowd erupted into gasps. Cell phones were suddenly raised, recording every second.
“This is a mistake!” Adrian shouted, backing away. “I own my company! I own my house! I have the deed!”
“You have a piece of paper you signed yourself,” my mother corrected loudly, ensuring the investors heard every word. “You forged my daughter’s signature on a property that belongs to a blind trust. You then used that fraudulent document to secure a bank loan. Your accounts have already been frozen.”
Vanessa dropped Adrian’s arm as if he had caught fire.
“I didn't know anything about this!” she screamed, backing away. “He told me it was his house!”
“Save it for your deposition, Miss Cross,” my mother snapped. “You are an accessory after the fact, and you are currently wearing stolen property.”
An officer approached Vanessa and unceremoniously unclasped my grandmother’s diamond necklace from her throat. She shrieked, but they ignored her.
Adrian looked up, his eyes scanning the room in sheer panic.
That was when he saw me.
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I stepped up to the edge of the mezzanine balcony, looking down at him. I didn't smile. I didn't gloat. I just looked at him with the cold, dead eyes of a stranger.
His knees buckled, and the officers caught him before he hit the floor, snapping the handcuffs shut.
