Chapter 9 - The Arrest Under the Chandelier
Sabrina realized in an instant that her meticulously constructed web of lies, forgery, and calculated abuse had completely unraveled. With her multi-million-dollar marriage, her social standing, and her stolen inheritance vanishing into thin air, the glamorous facade vanished completely, revealing the cold, calculating opportunist underneath. "You arrogant fool!" Sabrina screamed, her voice losing all aristocratic refinement as she tore the forty-thousand-dollar diamond necklace from her throat and hurled it across the marble floor. "You think you’re so smart with your algorithms and your billions! Without me, you’re just a miserable, lonely corporate drone drowning in your own empty offices!" She spun around, attempting to storm toward the main double doors, but her path was abruptly blocked. Grace Holloway stood directly in her way, planting her canvas sneakers firmly on the marble, her arms crossed casually over her chest. "Where do you think you're going, Sabrina?" Grace asked calmly, her voice dripping with icy satisfaction. "The night is still young, and the authorities haven't even arrived yet." As if on cue, the heavy oak front doors flew open, and a swarm of local police officers—alerted by an automated silent alarm triggered by the estate’s advanced smart-home security system when Derek drew a weapon—flooded into the grand ballroom. Leading the detachment was Captain Thomas Vance—no relation to Sabrina, but a hardened, incorruptible veteran of the city's Major Crimes division. "Ethan Caldwell?" Captain Vance called out, stepping over the glittering shards of champagne glass. "We received multiple emergency data packets containing financial fraud logs, forged medical prescriptions, and chemical assault evidence registered to this address." Ethan stepped forward, his expression carved from stone, and handed the captain the stolen digital backups he had retrieved from Grace’s phone. "Arrest them both," Ethan commanded, pointing squarely at Derek—who was being hauled up by two officers—and Sabrina. "For conspiracy, child abuse, medical tampering, and attempted poisoning." As the stainless-steel handcuffs clicked sharply around Sabrina’s slender wrists, she let out a piercing shriek of pure rage, glaring daggers at Grace as she was dragged past the shattered champagne tower. Grace simply offered her a bright, cheerful wave.
