Chapter 15 - New Beginnings
Miles away, in the harsh, fluorescent-lit cafeteria of the Danbury Federal Correctional Institution, Sarah Vance sat in a molded plastic chair, eating a lukewarm bowl of institutional oatmeal.
She wore a standard-issue khaki uniform, her hair dull, her hands rough from her assigned duty in the prison laundry. The chatter around her was loud and aggressive, a stark contrast to the whispered elegance of the society galas she used to dominate.
A guard tapped his baton on the metal table. "Vance. You have a visitor."
Sarah looked up, a spark of hope igniting in her chest. Maybe her father had found a way to appeal. Maybe Richard, the shark lawyer, had decided to take her case pro bono for the publicity.
She walked into the visitor's room and sat behind the thick plexiglass window. She picked up the heavy black phone receiver, her heart pounding.
On the other side of the glass sat Evelyn Thorne.
Evelyn was dressed immaculately in a white tailored suit, her posture rigid, her grey eyes piercing. She picked up her receiver.
"Why are you here?" Sarah whispered, her voice trembling.
"I had a meeting in the area, and I like to tie up loose ends," Evelyn said, her voice crystal clear through the speaker. "Julian is finalizing the acquisition of a European banking conglomerate today. Thorne Capital's valuation just crossed three billion dollars."
Sarah squeezed her eyes shut. "I don't care. Leave me alone."
"I just wanted to drop by and impart one final piece of financial advice, Sarah," Evelyn continued, her voice devoid of malice, which somehow made it infinitely colder. "You once told Julian that it's pathetic to cling to the past when the future is so bright."
Evelyn set the receiver down gently, stood up, and smoothed her pristine blazer. She leaned close to the glass, so Sarah could read her lips.
May you like
The bill is paid in full.
Evelyn turned and walked out of the visitor's room, her heels clicking rhythmically on the linoleum, leaving Sarah to face the long, dark, and utterly bankrupt reality of her future.
