Chapter 3 - The Threat from Behind Bars
By noon the following day, the story had broken across Phoenix local news. Billionaire Matriarch and Wealthy Executive Arrested in Poisoning and Child Abuse Conspiracy.
I sat on the patio of my father's house in Scottsdale, watching Emma play in the pool with Lucas splashing in a shallow infant ring. My dad brought out a tray of warm tea, sitting down beside me in the shade.
"You don't have to go back to that house, Maya," my dad said, his voice thick with emotion. "I've already called a moving crew. We'll pack up everything you and the kids own and bring it here."
"I'm not running, Dad," I said, setting my teacup down. "If I run, it makes me look like I have something to hide. Brenda's legal team will use every resource they have to turn this into a muddy media war."
My phone chimed on the table. It was an encrypted video call request from an unlisted number.
I hesitated, then swiped to accept.
The screen illuminated to show the interior of a private consultation room at the Maricopa County Jail. Sitting on the other side of the glass was Brenda. She had traded her designer coat for a yellow inmate jumpsuit, but her eyes were still filled with venomous pride. Sitting next to her was Arthur Sterling, the most ruthless high-stakes defense attorney in Arizona.
"Maya," Brenda spoke, her voice muffled slightly by the prison intercom system. "I see you're staying at your father's modest little ranch."
"Why are you calling me, Brenda?" I demanded, my grip tightening on the phone.
"I am calling to offer you a settlement," Brenda said smoothly, as if she were negotiating a real estate contract rather than facing twenty years in prison. "You will drop your personal civil suit. You will instruct the prosecutor that the videos were 'misinterpreted misunderstandings,' and you will agree to a full NDA regarding Vance Capital."
I let out a cold, disbelieving laugh. "Are you insane? You poisoned me. You made my son scream in terror. You turned my husband into a monster."
"I made my son into a man who understands family duty!" Brenda snapped, leaning her face against the glass. "Listen to me very carefully, you little fool. My legal network reaches into every courtroom in this state. If you go through with this prosecution, my lawyers will drag your name through the mud. They will leak your old medical records. They will claim Emma was coerced by you to make fake recordings. You will spend every dime you have fighting us, and in the end, you will lose those children."
Attorney Sterling stepped in, looking into the camera with a polished, fake smile. "Mrs. Vance, as Mrs. Vance Senior’s legal counsel, I strongly advise you to consider this proposal. We are prepared to offer you a three-million-dollar cash settlement today, provided you sign the non-prosecution agreement and grant full visitation rights to the Vance family."
I stood up from the patio chair, looking down at the screen.
"Keep your three million dollars, Brenda," I said, my voice echoing with pure, unwavering fury. "Because you're going to need every penny of it to pay for your legal defense. And as for visitation? The only place your grandchildren will ever see you again is through a bulletproof window."
I ended the call before she could scream back.
May you like
My dad looked up at me, a proud smile breaking through his worried face. "What's our next move?"
"Our next move," I said, looking over at Emma, who was laughing as she splashed water on her baby brother, "is to destroy the empire that gave them the power to touch my family."
