Chapter 8 - The Confrontation
The police arrived at the Sterling Estate within ten minutes, sirens blaring and lights flashing brightly.
They quickly dragged the bleeding and handcuffed Marcus out to the back of a police cruiser.
Arthur sat in the main living room, gently stroking Lily's hair as she finally calmed down from the shock.
The lead detective, a sharp-eyed woman named Detective Reyes, walked into the room carrying a plastic evidence bag.
"Mr. Sterling," Detective Reyes started respectfully, holding up the bag containing the deadly syringe.
"The hitman is already talking to save his own skin."
"He confessed that Eleanor hired him to assassinate the child."
Arthur's jaw clenched so tightly it looked like it might shatter.
"Where is Eleanor right now?" Arthur demanded, his voice cold and flat.
"We have units surrounding her penthouse building as we speak," Reyes replied.
"We are just waiting for a judge to officially sign the arrest warrant."
"I want to go there," Arthur stated, standing up and grabbing his cane.
"Mr. Sterling, that is highly irregular and potentially dangerous," Reyes protested quickly.
"I do not care," Arthur growled, his eyes burning with an intense, fiery hatred.
"That monster destroyed my daughter's life and tried to murder my granddaughter."
"I am going to look her in the eyes when you put the handcuffs on her."
Reyes sighed, knowing better than to argue with the most powerful billionaire in the city.
Arthur instructed his head of security to stay with Lily and guard her with their lives.
He climbed into the back of the unmarked police SUV with Detective Reyes.
They sped across the city, tearing through red lights until they reached the towering luxury high-rise where Eleanor lived.
Dozens of police officers were already swarming the opulent lobby, blocking all the exits.
Arthur stepped into the private elevator, his knuckles white as he gripped his cane.
The elevator doors silently opened on the penthouse floor.
Eleanor was frantically stuffing diamond jewelry and thick stacks of cash into a large designer suitcase.
She looked up in absolute horror as Arthur stepped into her living room, followed by four armed police officers.
"Going somewhere, Eleanor?" Arthur asked, his voice dripping with absolute disgust.
Eleanor dropped a diamond necklace, her hands shaking uncontrollably as she backed away.
"Arthur, please, let me explain!" she cried, her fake tears starting to flow instantly.
"It was all a terrible misunderstanding!"
"A misunderstanding?" Arthur laughed, a harsh, terrifying sound that held zero humor.
"You forced my pregnant daughter onto the streets, condemned her to poverty, and left her to die of illness."
"Then you hired a professional assassin to murder a little girl in her own bedroom."
Eleanor fell to her knees, crying hysterically as she crawled toward him.
"I did it for us, Arthur!" she screamed, desperately trying to grab his pant leg.
"Sarah was weak, she didn't deserve your empire! I was the one who was always here for you!"
Arthur looked down at her with absolute, pure revulsion.
"You are nothing but a parasite, Eleanor," Arthur whispered coldly.
"And now, you are finally going exactly where you belong."
He nodded to Detective Reyes, who stepped forward with a pair of heavy steel handcuffs.
"Eleanor, you are under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder, fraud, and extortion," Reyes announced loudly.
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The sound of the handcuffs clicking shut echoed beautifully through the massive, empty penthouse.
Arthur turned his back on her without another word, finally leaving the demons of the past behind him.
