An hour later, the heavy iron gates at the entrance of the Sterling estate creaked open as a black luxury sedan pulled up to the security guardhouse.
Mrs. Gable sat in the front passenger seat, arguing fiercely with her personal driver.
Mrs. Gable: I told you to drive faster! The police are probably already looking at the estate accounts!
Driver: Ma'am, the gate barrier won't lift. The security system has been locked down from the main house.
Mrs. Gable: What?! Override it immediately!
Before the driver could answer, two police cruisers pulled up behind the sedan, their red and blue lights flashing brightly in the sunlight.
Detective Vance stepped out of the lead cruiser, pulling a signed arrest warrant from his jacket pocket.
Detective Vance: Mrs. Gable! Step out of the vehicle with your hands visible!
Mrs. Gable's face turned as pale as chalk as she clutched her designer handbag to her chest.
Mrs. Gable: This is a mistake! I am the head manager of the Sterling estate!
Detective Vance: Not anymore, ma'am. Open the door now, or we will remove you by force.
The officer pulled open the passenger door, grabbing Mrs. Gable by her arm and guiding her out of the vehicle.
Mrs. Gable: Take your hands off me! Do you know who I am?!
Detective Vance: You're under arrest for grand larceny, forgery, and embezzlement. You have the right to remain silent.
They placed her hands behind her back, snapping the silver handcuffs onto her wrists.
A second police car pulled into the driveway, carrying Julian and his corporate legal team.
Julian stepped out of his vehicle, walking slowly toward Mrs. Gable as she struggled against the officer's grip.
Mrs. Gable: Julian! Tell these men to unhand me! I served your family for five years!
Julian: You didn't serve my family, Mrs. Gable. You stole from my orphan daughter and abused your power over my staff.
Mrs. Gable: I maintained order in your house when you were too weak to function after Sarah's death!
Julian: Order built on cruelty is not order. It's abuse.
Mrs. Gable: You ruined your family's reputation today! Putting a low-class cook in charge of your household!
Julian: That cook has more class and dignity in her little finger than you ever had in your entire life.
Detective Vance opened the back door of the police cruiser, placing his hand over Mrs. Gable's head as he guided her into the back seat.
Detective Vance: Watch your head, ma'am.
Mrs. Gable: Julian! You'll regret this! You'll see!
The car door slammed shut, cutting off her shrill voice completely.
Julian watched as the police cruisers drove out through the iron gates, their sirens echoing down the long tree-lined driveway.
Detective Vance walked back over to Julian, handing him a receipt for the seized luggage in her trunk.
Detective Vance: We found three stuffed envelopes of cash in her suitcases, Julian. Almost forty thousand dollars in physical currency.
Julian: Thank you, Vance. Make sure the prosecution pushes for the maximum sentence.
Detective Vance: With the financial audit and the staff testimonies, she'll be serving at least eight to ten years in state prison.
Julian: Good. She deserves every single day.