Three days after the ruined wedding, Claire stood inside the grand mahogany office of Vance Enterprises. Financial auditors were going through stacks of leather-bound ledgers, scanning thousands of bank documents.
Attorney Vance walked into the room carrying two warm mugs of coffee, handing one to Claire.
Attorney Vance: The forensic team finished reviewing Richard's private computer servers last night.
Claire: What did they find, Robert?
Attorney Vance: It's worse than we thought. Richard didn't just steal from your trust fund.
Claire: What else did he take?
Attorney Vance: He embezzled over fifteen million dollars from the company retirement fund over the last five years.
Claire: Fifteen million?! How did the board of directors not notice?
Attorney Vance: He was forging your father's signature on corporate withdrawal forms long after your father passed away.
Claire: The man is a sociopath.
Attorney Vance: And what about Julian's medical status?
Claire: The hospital discharged him yesterday straight into federal custody. The poison he tried to give me was a severe organ toxin.
Attorney Vance: He's facing attempted pre-meditated murder, conspiracy to commit fraud, and grand larceny.
Claire: How many years is he looking at?
Attorney Vance: With Richard's testimony turning against him, Julian is looking at twenty-five years to life in a maximum-security prison.
The office door opened, and Maya stepped into the room wearing a professional dark blue pencil skirt and white blouse.
Maya: Good morning, Miss Sterling. Mr. Vance.
Claire: Maya! You look fantastic. Please, sit down.
Maya: I'm still getting used to wearing business clothes instead of a banquet uniform.
Claire: Get used to it, because as of today, you are the chief administrative assistant for the new Sterling Foundation.
Maya's eyes widened in disbelief.
Maya: Miss Sterling... are you serious?
Claire: I am completely serious. We are converting Richard's seized assets into a charity fund for families affected by corporate abuse.
Maya: That's... that's incredible!
Claire: And the very first program we're funding is named after your sister.
Tears welled up in Maya's eyes as she covered her mouth with both hands.
Maya: The Sarah Miller Justice Project?
Claire: Exactly. We're going to provide free legal representation to healthcare workers who expose corporate corruption.
Maya: Thank you, Claire. You have no idea what this means to my family.
Claire: You gave me my life back, Maya. This is the least I can do.
Attorney Vance tapped his pen against his tablet, looking at the screen.
Attorney Vance: The grand jury indictment is scheduled for two o'clock today. Are you ready to face them in court, Claire?
Claire: I've never been more ready in my life.