Chapter 5 - The Desperate Entreaty
Jessica marched into the anteroom, dressed in an oversized beige trench coat and dark sunglasses, holding an iced latte in one hand and her designer handbag in the other. Behind her stood Mark, looking disheveled, his eyes bloodshot and his designer shirt unironed.
When Jessica saw me standing beside the general manager, her sneer returned instantly.
"Oh, look who decided to show her face," Jessica sneered, pulling down her sunglasses. "Arthur, fire that imbecile at the gate immediately. He had the audacity to tell me my car wasn't allowed on the driveway because my account was flagged!"
"Your account isn't flagged, Miss Vance," Arthur said, his voice entirely devoid of its customary deference. "It has been terminated."
Jessica blinked, her mouth falling slightly open. "Terminated? Don't be ridiculous. Mark pays our family membership!"
"No, Jessica," I stepped forward, locking eyes with her. "Mark never paid a dime. Caldwell & Vance paid for it. Specifically, my executive discretionary budget paid for it. And as of eight o'clock this morning, that budget has been reallocated."
Mark pushed past his sister, his face pale, his fists clenched. "Sarah, what the hell are you doing? I got served at the penthouse two hours ago! A process server handed me divorce papers in the lobby! Have you completely lost your mind?"
"I told you last night, Mark. The timer ran out. You chose your sister's cruelty over basic human decency. Now you live with the consequences."
"It was a joke! A family joke!" Mark raised his voice, stepping into my personal space. "So Jess threw some wine—big deal! You're destroying our marriage over an accident! You're embarrassing my family, freezing my accounts, locking me out of our home—"
"Correction," I said, holding up a manicured finger. "It is *my* home. Purchased prior to the union. Furthermore, it wasn't an accident, Mark. It was criminal assault."
I turned slightly, gesturing toward the club entrance. Two uniformed police officers stepped inside, accompanied by Detective Miller, a seasoned investigator from the precinct.
Jessica scoffed nervously, backing away. "What is this? What are police doing here?"
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"Miss Jessica Vance?" Detective Miller asked, pulling a leather badge from his pocket. "You are being placed under arrest for third-degree assault and intentional criminal damage to personal property exceeding five thousand dollars. Hands behind your back, please."
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