Chapter 5 - The Ledger of Sins
Agent Hayes tapped the screen of her rugged tablet, scanning line after line of financial transfers that stretched back over six long years.
“Over four million dollars routed from the Montgomery Estate trust into offshore shell companies,” Agent Hayes read aloud, her voice stern and unyielding. “Signatures forged using digital certificate replication... registered to Daniel Vance’s personal IP address.”
Lorraine turned to look at her son, her face turning pale as paper. “Daniel... what is she reading? You told me your father-in-law gave you that money to manage!”
“He’s lying to you, Lorraine,” Clara said gently, though her eyes remained hard as flint. “He was always lying to you. Just like he lied when he told you he was paying off your credit card debts, while in reality, he was using your name to register the fraudulent accounts.”
Lorraine’s hands began to shake violently. “What?! My name? Daniel, is my name on those papers?!”
Daniel didn't answer his mother. He stared at Clara with pure, unadulterated hatred. “You set me up. You’ve been planning this! Every time you smiled at me, every time you cooked dinner, you were recording me!”
“I wasn't setting you up, Daniel,” Clara said, her voice trembling slightly with the weight of remembered pain. “I was surviving. For three years, I believed your lies. I believed I was stupid, useless, and helpless. But three years ago, I found my father’s journal hidden in the attic. And I realized my father didn't die of a heart attack—he died broken-hearted because he found out what you were doing to his company.”
Daniel took a step toward Clara, his fists clenching tight, ignoring the officers standing right beside him. “You ruined my life!”
“You ruined your own life the moment you put your hands on me,” Clara replied coldly.
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The lead officer stepped forward, pulling a pair of steel handcuffs from his utility belt. “Daniel Vance, turn around and place your hands behind your back.”
👉 Daniel looked at the open front door, his eyes darting frantically toward the driveway.
