Chapter 9 - The Fall of the Empire
Gunfire erupted in the greenhouse, shredding expensive exotic plants and destroying ancient clay pots.
I grabbed Sofía's arm, pulling her behind a massive stone planter as bullets chipped away at the concrete.
The explosion outside wasn't an accident; it was a distraction coordinated by the FBI tactical team Arthur had tipped off.
Federal agents flooded the estate, their sirens wailing loudly as they overwhelmed my father's private security forces.
"Drop your weapons! Federal Agents!" a voice boomed through a megaphone, cutting through the chaos.
My father, realizing his empire was rapidly crumbling, made a desperate run toward a hidden exit at the back of the greenhouse.
He didn't care about his men, his legacy, or his daughters; he only cared about saving his own skin.
But Arthur was faster.
He intercepted my father, driving his shoulder into the older man's chest and sending them both crashing into a glass display case.
Federal agents poured into the greenhouse, heavily armed and moving with absolute precision.
They secured the remaining guards and pulled Arthur off my father, quickly forcing the patriarch to the ground in handcuffs.
I watched as the man who had controlled my entire universe was reduced to a pathetic, bleeding criminal.
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Sofía clutched the canvas backpack to her chest, her breathing heavy but finally free of fear.
The nightmare that had haunted our family for twelve long years was finally over.
