Chapter 6 - The Broken Monster
With his family's money frozen, his political connections dismantled, and his mother sitting in a federal holding facility, Richard Sterling Jr. was left completely defenseless in a state penitentiary holding cell.
Stripped of his tailored suits and expensive watch, he wore a coarse orange jumpsuit, staring at the floor of the interview room as he waited for his court-appointed public defender. The high-priced corporate lawyers he usually relied on had abandoned him the moment his bank accounts were seized by the federal government.
The door opened, but it wasn't his lawyer who walked in.
It was me.
Richard jumped up from his chair, his eyes wild with terror as he backed into the corner of the room, raising his hands defensively.
"Get away from me!" he yelled, his voice cracking. "Guard! Guard!"
"The guard is outside the door, Richard," I said smoothly, taking a seat at the metal table and folding my hands. "And no one is going to hurt you. I’m not here to lay a hand on you."
Richard panted, trembling as he slowly sank back into his chair, keeping as much distance between us as possible. "You... you destroyed everything. My company... my house... my mother..."
"You destroyed yourself the second you put your hands on my daughter," I corrected him. "You thought because I lived in a small house and built tables for a living, I was nobody. You thought my quietness meant weakness."
"I was angry!" Richard cried out, trying to play the victim. "She made me angry! She didn't obey me, Arthur! She wanted to leave!"
I leaned forward across the table, my eyes locking onto his with terrifying intensity.
"She is my daughter, Richard. She was raised with love, respect, and dignity. You treated her like something you owned. You thought you could break her spirit, kick her while she was down, and laugh about it with your mother over Easter dinner."
"I'll give her a divorce!" Richard begged, tears finally spilling from his eyes. "I'll give her whatever she wants! Just drop the federal charges! Please, Arthur!"
"The charges aren't mine to drop," I said softly. "The state has your audio recording. The grand jury saw her injuries. You are going to prison, Richard. Not for a few months, but for years. And while you are in there, you will have plenty of time to think about the afternoon you told me to go back to my lonely house."
May you like
I stood up, adjusting my jacket.
"You are going to die in the shadow of the crime you committed," I said, turning toward the door. "And my daughter will never hear your name again."
