Chapter 5 - The Snake Squirm
The Fulton County Jail inter-visitation room was dark, smelling of industrial disinfectant and stale sweat.
Gabriel sat at a metal table, wearing an orange jumpsuit. His hands were cuffed to a chain around his waist, his hair was matted, and his face was pale with shear desperation. Across from him sat his father, Raul Vance, who had rushed to the jail after his wife and son were arrested.
"How could you be so stupid?!" Raul hissed, slamming his hand onto the glass partition. "A hidden camera?! You let yourself get filmed assaulting her in her own kitchen?!"
"I didn't know the camera was there, Dad!" Gabriel cried out, his voice squeaking with terror. "Evelyn never mentioned it! Her father set it up before he died!"
"Because her father was Richard Vance!" Raul spat, rubbing his temples frantically. "The man was a top federal prosecutor! Did you honestly think his daughter wouldn't have security?!"
"You have to get us out of here, Dad!" Gabriel begged, tears streaming down his face. "The guards here are ruthless! Patricia is having panic attacks in her cell! Pay the bail!"
"With what money?!" Raul shouted, causing a nearby guard to look over sharply. "Sterling Holdings filed an emergency injunction this morning! The judge froze all our corporate and personal accounts! My credit cards were declined at the gas station an hour ago! The bank has initiated foreclosure proceedings on our house!"
Gabriel froze, his eyes widening in horror. "What...? No... no, that's impossible! What about my offshore account?"
"Frozen!" Raul snarled. "The District Attorney added federal wire fraud charges to your file because you used Evelyn's money to pay off those Miami resort bills with Chloe!"
Just then, the heavy steel door opened, and Marcus Sterling walked into the visitation room, accompanied by two federal investigators.
Raul stood up, pointing an angry finger at Marcus. "Sterling! You bastard! You're ruining my family over a domestic dispute!"
Marcus didn't even blink. He placed a leather briefcase on the table and pulled out a stack of legal documents.
"Mr. Vance," Marcus said calmly, addressing Raul. "I am not here to argue with you. I am here to serve you with formal court notices. First, an annulment petition filed on behalf of Evelyn Vance. Second, a civil lawsuit for twenty-five million dollars in punitive damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress, battery, and fraud."
Gabriel slumped in his chair, hyperventilating. "Twenty-five million...? I don't have twenty-five million..."
"We know you don't," Marcus replied smoothly. "Which is why the court has authorized the immediate seizure and liquidation of Vance Logistics, your fleet of commercial vehicles, your family's estate in Buckhead, and all personal vehicles registered in your name."
May you like
"You can't leave us bankrupt!" Raul gasped, clutching his chest. "We will be homeless!"
"You should have thought about that before your son poured a skillet of boiling sauce over my client's legs," Marcus said, his voice cold as liquid nitrogen. "Have a pleasant day, gentlemen."
