By four o'clock that afternoon, Mark was sitting comfortably on his leather couch in the living room, watching television with a beer in his hand. The diamond engagement ring still sat on the kitchen counter, catching the sunlight.
Suddenly, three heavy knocks rattled the front door.
Mark: See? I knew she'd come crawling back.
Mark stood up, took a slow sip of his beer, and opened the door with a confident smirk on his face. But instead of Clara, two uniformed police officers stood on the porch, flanked by David and Mr. Vance.
Officer Ramirez: Mark Henderson?
Mark: Yeah... what's going on here? David, what are you doing at my house?
Officer Ramirez: Sir, step outside the house and place your hands behind your back.
Mark: What?! Are you insane?! On what grounds?!
Officer Ramirez: You are under arrest for domestic battery against Clara Evans.
Mark: Domestic battery?! She's lying to you! We just had a minor verbal argument! I didn't touch her!
David stepped forward, his voice low and dangerous.
David: She's at the hospital right now, Mark. The doctor just documented a severe soft-tissue injury and a bruised jawbone.
Mark: She fell! She's making this up to get back at me!
Mr. Vance: Mr. Henderson, I am Clara Evans' legal counsel. We have text messages sent from your personal phone threatening to destroy her property after the alleged assault took place.
Mark: That was just a text! You can't arrest a man over a text message!
Officer Ramirez: Turn around, sir. Don't make this harder on yourself.
The officer grabbed Mark's wrist, twisting his arm behind his back and snapping a steel handcuff over his wrist. The cold metal bit into his skin.
Mark: Hey! Get your hands off me! Do you know who I am?! I'm the senior regional manager at Apex Logistics!
Officer Ramirez: I don't care if you're the President, sir. Watch your head getting into the cruiser.
Mark: David! Tell your sister to stop this right now! If she goes through with this, I'll destroy her credit! I'll take everything she has!
David: You don't have anything left to take, Mark. Check your company email when you get your one phone call.
Mark: What are you talking about?! What does my company have to do with this?!
Mr. Vance: I personally notified the Chief Executive Officer of Apex Logistics two hours ago. As a corporate executive, your physical violence charges violate the morality clause of your employment contract.
Mark's face went completely pale. His arrogant composure cracked into absolute panic as the second handcuff clicked into place.
Mark: You... you called my boss?!
Mr. Vance: Your termination letter was signed twenty minutes ago, Mr. Henderson. You no longer have a job.
Mark: No! No! You can't do that! I have a mortgage to pay!
David: Not anymore you don't. Because my sister is taking full ownership of this house.
The officers pushed Mark into the back seat of the police cruiser and slammed the door shut. Mark pressed his face against the glass, shouting threats that were completely swallowed by the sound of the engine as the car pulled away.