Chapter 2 - The Dessert Served Cold

Panic is a fascinating thing to watch when it infects the arrogant. Evan and Gloria scrambled through the house like rats on a sinking ship.

"My jewelry! I need my jewelry!" Gloria shrieked, sprinting up the stairs toward the guest suite.

"You can take whatever you brought with you eleven months ago," Daniel’s voice boomed after her. "Anything purchased with the Hartwell Trust accounts remains. Security will check your bags at the door."

Evan was frantically throwing clothes into a duffel bag in the master bedroom. I stood in the doorway, watching him. Emily was down the hall in Lily’s nursery, safely packing her baby’s necessities while one of Daniel’s men stood guard.

"You're ruining my life!" Evan spat, throwing a pile of custom-tailored Italian shirts onto the floor. "I built that operational division! I gave you three years of my life! You can't just throw me out into the street. Where are we supposed to go?"

"I hear the Motel 6 on Interstate 95 is quite accommodating this time of year," I replied, leaning against the doorframe. "It's a step down from five thousand square feet, but it builds character."

"Emily will never divorce me!" he sneered, though his hands were shaking violently. "I'll take Lily. I'll fight you in court for full custody. I’ll tell the judge she’s unstable. Postpartum depression. They’ll eat it up."

The air in the room grew frigid. I pushed myself off the doorframe and walked slowly toward him until I was inches from his face.

"Evan," I whispered, my voice laced with absolute venom. "If you ever threaten to take my granddaughter again, I will not just ruin you financially. I will bury you so deep in legal litigation that your grandchildren will be born with court subpoenas in their hands. I know about the offshore accounts. I know about the 'bonus' checks you’ve been routing to Gloria’s shell company. Daniel has been tracking your embezzlement for six months. We were just waiting for you to cross a line."

His jaw dropped. The bravado completely vanished, replaced by sheer, unadulterated terror. He knew I had him.

"Ten minutes," I said, turning my back on him.

Downstairs, the scene was utterly pathetic. Gloria was sobbing near the front door, clutching a single cheap suitcase. Security had confiscated three designer handbags and a diamond tennis bracelet she had tried to smuggle out.

"Margaret, please," Gloria begged, her makeup running down her face in dark, muddy streaks. "We're family. You can't do this to us. We have nowhere to go."

"You should have thought of that before you treated my daughter like a scullery maid," I said coldly.

Evan came down the stairs, dragging his duffel bag. He looked defeated, small, and entirely broken. Without another word, Daniel’s men escorted them out the front door and into the chilly night air. The heavy door slammed shut behind them, the automatic locks engaging with a satisfying click.

Emily walked out of the hallway, carrying Lily in her car seat and a small overnight bag. She looked at the empty dining room, the half-eaten roast beef, the mountain of dishes. She let out a breath she seemed to have been holding for years.