Chapter 8 - The Ultimatum
The next morning, Carol woke up in Richard’s penthouse, feeling slightly more optimistic.
She had convinced herself that the internet outrage would blow over, as it always did for rich people.
She walked into the kitchen, expecting her maid to have breakfast prepared, but the room was empty.
Instead, Richard was frantically typing on his laptop, his face pale and covered in a cold sweat.
"Richard, what is going on?" Carol demanded, pouring herself a cup of cold coffee.
"Our accounts are frozen," Richard whispered, his voice cracking with pure panic.
"What do you mean frozen?" she snapped. "Call the bank and fix it!"
"It isn't just the bank, Mother," Richard yelled, finally turning to face her with wild, terrified eyes.
"Sterling Industries just initiated a hostile takeover of our primary lender, and they called in all our outstanding loans."
Carol dropped her coffee mug, the porcelain shattering against the expensive marble floor.
"Sterling Industries? Why would a global conglomerate care about our regional real estate firm?"
Before Richard could answer, a loud, aggressive pounding echoed from the front door of the penthouse.
Richard cautiously opened the door, only to be shoved aside by two uniformed police officers.
"Carol Davis?" the lead officer asked, stepping into the room with his hand resting on his utility belt.
"Yes, that is me," she stammered, trying to maintain her aristocratic posture despite her shaking knees.
"You are under arrest for the physical assault of a minor, as well as child endangerment," the officer stated, pulling out a pair of steel handcuffs.
"This is absurd!" Carol shrieked, backing away. "Richard, call my lawyer right now!"
"Your lawyer dropped you an hour ago, Mother," Richard said bitterly, refusing to meet her eyes.
"He said your retainer check bounced, and he doesn't work for charity."
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As the police officers forcefully turned Carol around and clicked the cuffs onto her wrists, Jackson walked out of his bedroom.
The spoiled child watched his grandmother being hauled away, completely indifferent, before going back to his video games.
