Chapter 10 - NEW BEGINNINGS
Six months later.
The justice system moves slowly, but vengeance, when served cold, is incredibly sweet. Brenda was sentenced to eight years in federal prison for wire fraud and identity theft. Martha, having no prior record, received four years, plus a mandate to pay full restitution.
Because we caught them before they boarded the plane, the international authorities were able to freeze the Cayman account. Thanks to the bank's fraud insurance and the liquidation of the recovered jewelry, I got $410,000 back. I lost ten grand, but I considered it a cheap price to pay to rid myself of a monster.
I finalized the divorce. I sold the big, empty house in the suburbs and bought a beautiful, cozy cabin near a lake, exactly what I always wanted but Martha always vetoed.
Sunday dinners look different now. I host them at my cabin. David, Sarah, and my grandson are always there. Eric hasn't spoken to me since the arrest, but I’ve made my peace with it.
As we sat around my rustic wooden table eating barbecue—no fancy mahogany, no crystal chandeliers—Sarah slid a cold beer across the table to me.
"Check your phone, Dad," she smiled.
I pulled it out. It was a notification from my new, highly secure bank app, set up with Sarah's help.
May you like
Account Balance: $410,000. Status: Secure.
I looked at the daughter-in-law who had saved my life, raised my glass, and took a long, satisfying drink. I was sixty-eight years old, and for the first time in my life, I was truly free.
