Chapter 4: The Public Execution
The screen flickered to life. It didn't start with the ring. It started with the tea.
The ballroom went deathly silent. The footage was crisp, undeniable. The theft of the ring was projected next, showing Sienna’s gloating expression. The murmurs in the room turned into shouts of outrage.
Sienna stood in the front row, frozen. The ring on her finger felt like a lead weight. She tried to turn and run, but the men in the dark suits were already at her elbows.
May you like
"Sienna," Julian said, his voice dripping with icy contempt. "You wanted my life. You wanted my child’s future. But you forgot one thing: you don't build an empire by stealing. You build it with trust. And trust is the one thing you never had."
As the police led her out in handcuffs, the flashbulbs of a dozen photographers illuminated the ballroom. Her face—distorted, desperate, and ruined—would be on the cover of every major news outlet by morning. She wasn't just being arrested for theft; she was being charged with poisoning and conspiracy.
