Chapter 10 - The Reckoning
Federal agents swarmed the wreckage, securing Daria in heavy steel handcuffs and reading her her rights.
She did not say a single word as they dragged her away to a waiting armored transport vehicle.
I pulled Catherine into my arms, holding her so tightly I thought my ribs might break.
Vance walked over with a tired smile, confirming that the hostage was safe and the evidence was secured.
The next few months were a whirlwind of federal trials, intense media scrutiny, and corporate restructuring.
Daria was convicted of murder, kidnapping, and massive corporate fraud, earning a permanent life sentence in federal prison.
The board of Kincaid Enterprises formally apologized, and I resumed my rightful position as the undisputed CEO.
I used my restored wealth and power to completely dismantle the corrupt networks my mother had built.
Catherine and I finally legally registered Penelope’s birth, throwing a massive celebration with our closest, trusted friends.
We bought a beautiful, secure estate near the ocean, far away from the dark memories of the city.
I stood on the balcony, watching my brave wife playing in the garden with our laughing daughter.
The nightmare was finally over, and we had won back the beautiful life that was stolen from us.
I walked back into my home office and noticed a sleek, black envelope sitting perfectly in the center of my desk.
May you like
I sliced the thick wax seal open and pulled out a highly classified intelligence dossier.
A handwritten note attached to the file simply read, "Daria was only the middleman, and Catherine's real family has finally found her."
