Chapter 7
Cold steel handcuffs clicked into place around Arthur's wrists, the harsh metallic sound echoing through the grand living room like a gavel strike.
"You're making a catastrophic mistake; you have no idea who is backing me from inside the intelligence directorate," Arthur spat out in defiant anger.
"The only person backing you now is a federal judge in a maximum-security courtroom," the investigator replied, gesturing for the marshals to escort him out.
Arthur was hauled away toward the double doors, his light tan suit dragging awkwardly as he cast one last bitter glare toward Sarah and Robert.
As the heavy oak doors slammed shut behind them, the living room fell into a profound, profound silence once more.
Only the soft crackle of the fireplace remained, warming the spacious room while the winter wind howled against the reinforced glass panes.
Sarah exhaled a long, steady breath, her shoulders relaxing just slightly as the immediate crisis subsided into a manageable reality.
She walked over to Robert and Lily, kneeling down beside her niece to offer a warm, comforting smile that chased away the lingering fear in the little girl's eyes.
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"Everything is going to be okay now, Lily; nobody is ever going to lie to you or hide the truth from you again," Sarah promised gently.
Lily nodded slowly, leaning her head against Sarah’s shoulder as a sense of genuine safety finally settled over the embattled family.
