Chapter 3 - The Empty FortressThree days later, I was discharged from the hospital.
The deep purple bruises on my face had settled into a faint yellowish green, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the sharp, liberating clarity that filled my chest as Marcus’s black town car pulled into the gated driveway of my suburban home.
The house sat on a two-acre lot, surrounded by wrought-iron fencing and towering oak trees. For ten years, I had paid the mortgage, the property taxes, the landscaping bills, and the interior designer fees while Amber bragged to her country club friends that her family had "gifted" the estate to us.
Today, there were two private security guards posted at the front entrance.
As I stepped out of the car, leaning slightly on a wooden walking cane, the lead guard stepped forward and bowed his head respectfully. "Mrs. Vance. The property is completely secure. We oversaw Mr. Bruno Vance's departure on Tuesday. He attempted to take several pieces of artwork, but we confiscated them per your attorney's instructions."
"Thank you, David," I said, walking up the broad stone steps.
Inside, the grand foyer was dead silent. The high ceilings and marble floors that used to feel grand now just felt hollow.
I walked straight to the home office on the ground floor. The room was a disaster. Drawers had been pulled open, papers were scattered across the floor, and my desk computer tower was missing.
Marcus walked in behind me, taking in the scene. "Bruno tried to destroy the hard drives before the guards removed him."
"It doesn't matter," I said, stepping over a pile of folders to sit in my leather armchair. "The local drives were decoy files. Everything that matters is stored on my encrypted cloud servers and in the physical safety deposit box at First National Bank."
"The Attorney General's office formally opened their investigation this morning," Marcus informed me, placing his tablet on the desk. "They reviewed the forensic audit you provided regarding Vance Logistics. The state prosecutor is already preparing an indictment for wire fraud and embezzlement against both Indigo and Bruno."
I looked at the digital display on Marcus's tablet. It showed court filings, asset freeze orders, and bail hearing transcripts.
"How are Indigo and Amber faring in county jail?" I asked, keeping my voice completely even.
"Indigo's bail was set at five hundred thousand dollars due to the severity of the physical injuries you sustained," Marcus said with a cold smile. "Amber's bail is two hundred and fifty thousand. Because their personal accounts were frozen under the emergency marital asset order, they haven't been able to post bond. They've been sitting in a holding cell for seventy-two hours."
A soft, dark satisfaction settled in my stomach. For ten years, Amber had complained if her morning coffee wasn't served at precisely 160 degrees. Now she was sleeping on a vinyl mattress in a shared cell, eating processed cafeteria food.
Suddenly, my phone buzzed on the desk. It was an unlisted number.
I answered and put it on speakerphone. "Jade Vance."
"Jade! You treacherous, evil bitch!" Amber’s voice shrieked through the speaker, distorted by the crackle of a jailhouse payphone line. "You put your own family in jail! Do you know what they are doing to us in here?! There are criminals in this place!"
"You are criminals, Amber," I replied coldly. "You beat me until I lost consciousness because I wouldn't hand over my grandmother's hard-earned money."
"It was an argument!" Amber screamed, her voice breaking into hysterical sobs. "Indigo just lost his temper! He has blood pressure issues! You are going to ruin our lives over a few bruises?!"
"Those 'few bruises' resulted in a fractured rib, a severe concussion, and six stitches near my left eye," I said, my voice dropping into a register that made even Marcus sit up straighter. "And you aren't in jail just for hitting me, Amber. You're in jail because your husband and son stole millions of dollars from hard-working people."
"Bruno is innocent!" Amber lied frantically. "He didn't know anything about the money! He loves you, Jade! He's sleeping in his car right now because you locked him out of his own house!"
"He isn't sleeping in his car," I corrected her cleanly. "He checked into a luxury hotel downtown using his corporate credit card—which I deactivated two hours ago. The hotel is currently holding his luggage until he pays his bill."
Silence fell over the line, punctuated only by Amber's ragged, heavy breathing.
"Listen to me very carefully, Amber," I continued. "You spent ten years treating me like an servant who was lucky to carry your family name. But the truth is, your family name is worthless. You are broke, you are disgraced, and you are going to prison. Do not ever call this number again."
I tapped the screen, ending the call before she could reply.
May you like
Marcus let out a low, appreciative whistle. "Remind me never to get on your bad side, Jade."
"I was on their good side for ten years, Marcus," I said, standing up and walking toward the grand bay window overlooking the gardens. "And it almost killed me. It's time to show them what happens when the floor they walked on finally collapses."
