Chapter 6 - The Fallout
The arrest of Marcus Thorne sent shockwaves through the tech and financial sectors.
By the time the evening news aired, the full story had leaked. The public was captivated by the sheer evil of the plot: a grieving widow, newborn twins, a wicked stepfamily, and a corrupt billionaire.
I spent the next two weeks working with Arthur to clean house. We fired every executive who had even the slightest inkling of Marcus’s embezzlement. I appointed a new, fiercely loyal COO to handle the day-to-day operations while I focused on my children.
But the legal battles were just beginning.
Helen, my stepmother, tried to play the victim to the press. She gave a tearful interview on a morning talk show, claiming she was just a worried grandmother who was manipulated by her husband.
“I had no idea Edward was planning anything illegal,” she sobbed to the cameras. “I just wanted to hold my grandchildren.”
I didn't argue with her on television. I argued in court.
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Arthur released the raw security footage from the hospital room. It clearly showed Helen aggressively yanking the privacy curtain shut and standing guard by the door while Jason grabbed my daughter.
The DA immediately charged her with conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Her public tears dried up the moment she was thrown into a cell next to her husband.
