Chapter 9 - The Eviction
The doors swung open. Two uniformed officers from the county sheriff's department stepped inside, accompanied by a female detective from the Special Victims Unit.
"Bianca Thorne," Detective Miller announced, stepping forward with a pair of handcuffs. "You are under arrest for four counts of felony child endangerment, criminal neglect, and grand larceny."
"Get your hands off me!" Bianca shrieked, flailing wildly as the metal cuffs clicked around her slender wrists. "Do you know who my friends are? I know the mayor! Ethan, tell them to stop! You can't do this to me!"
"I already have," Ethan said calmly. "Your bank accounts have been frozen under an emergency civil asset forfeiture injunction. Every credit card carrying my name was canceled at midnight. The jewels you bought this week have been seized as evidence of embezzlement."
The officers marched her through the grand foyer, past the ruined decorations of her lavish party, and out into the biting winter air. Reporters, tipped off by the sudden departure of elite guests the night before, were already gathered at the estate gates, their cameras flashing violently as Bianca was shoved into the back of a patrol car in handcuffs.
Ethan watched from the second-story window until the police cruisers disappeared down the long, snow-covered driveway.
He walked down the hall to the guest suite.
The room was filled with the scent of pine and fresh cinnamon. Mark Vance and the trusted staff had spent the morning bringing up four massive, glowing Christmas trees—one for each girl. Piles of real, wrapped presents sat beneath the boughs: warm wool sweaters, plush teddy bears, storybooks, and miniature musical instruments.
Mia, Chloe, Grace, and Ava were sitting by the fire in thick, warm flannel pajamas, their cheeks rosy from the heat, sipping warm milk with marshmallows.
When Ethan walked in, all four of them looked up.
"Daddy!" Ava cried, running across the rug and throwing her tiny arms around his legs.
Chloe, who had spent the previous evening hiding under tables, stood up and ran to him too, burying her face into his waist. Grace and Mia followed instantly, surrounding him in a warm, tangled embrace of little hands and soft laughter.
Ethan dropped to his knees, wrapping his arms around all four of them, burying his face in their hair.
"Is the bad lady gone?" Chloe whispered against his shoulder.
"She’s gone, baby," Ethan promised, his voice thick with emotion. "She’s gone forever. It’s just us now. I’m staying home."
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For the first time in years, the house felt light. The shadows that had suffocated the halls seemed to vanish beneath the warmth of the roaring fire. They spent the entire Christmas afternoon opening presents, singing the silly songs Clara used to sing, and eating real food until their bellies were full and their eyelids grew heavy with peaceful sleep.
***
