Chapter 7 - The Downfall at the Regency
The private dining room on the top floor of the Grand Regency Hotel was lavish, dim, and isolated. Heavy velvet curtains framed the city skyline, and a large mahogany table stood in the center of the room.
At 7:55 PM, I sat at the head of the table, wearing an elegant dark red dress. Beside me sat Samantha, holding a leather folder containing fake cashier's check duplicates.
Undercover police officers were stationed throughout the hotel lobby, elevator banks, and right outside the dining room door. High-definition pinhole cameras were installed in the ceiling chandelier, live-streaming every second to the District Attorney's mobile command unit parked downstairs.
At 8:02 PM, the heavy double doors popped open.
Nancy walked in, strutting like a queen entering her court. She wore a gaudy floor-length fur coat and heavy gold jewelry—likely the last of the expensive items she hadn't sold yet.
And right behind her, wearing a hooded jacket to hide his face, was Santiago. He had cut off his ankle monitor earlier that evening, triggering an automatic warrant for his arrest that he was completely unaware of.
"Look at you, Chloe," Nancy sneered, throwing her designer purse onto the table. "Sitting there like a shivering little bird. I told you that you couldn't beat us."
Santiago pulled down his hood, his face pale and slick with sweat, eyes hungry as he stared at the leather folder in Samantha's hands. "Where’s the money? Is it all there? $5 million?"
"It’s all here," Samantha said calmly, tapping the folder. "Certified cashier's checks. But first, we need the original documents you threatened to leak."
Nancy reached into her bag and pulled out a thick yellow manila folder, slapping it onto the table. "Here they are. Every dirty little secret your old man buried. Hand over the checks."
I picked up the manila folder, opening it slowly. I pretended to look at the forged ledgers with trembling hands, playing the role of the defeated victim one last time.
"You really hated me, didn't you, Nancy?" I asked quietly, looking up at her. "Even when I cooked for you, took care of your expenses, and welcomed you into my home... you hated me."
"Hated you?" Nancy laughed wildly, a bitter, vicious sound. "You were nothing! A plain, pathetic little heiress who got lucky with daddy's money! You weren't good enough for my Santiago! You couldn't even give him a child! You were just a bank vault with a mouth, and now we’re taking what belongs to us!"
"And you, Santiago?" I turned my gaze to my ex-husband. "You hit me. You threw makeup at my bloody face and told me to smile."
Santiago scoffed, pulling a chair out and leaning across the table. "You brought that on yourself, Chloe. You forgot your place. You thought because you owned the house, you owned me. But a real man takes what he wants. Now hand over the damn checks so we can leave!"
"A real man?" a deep voice suddenly echoed from the shadows near the corner of the room.
Santiago and Nancy gasped, freezing in place as Julian stepped out from behind the heavy velvet window curtains, holding a tablet displaying live audit data.
"Julian?!" Nancy shrieked, her jaw dropping in absolute horror. "What... what are you doing here?!"
Santiago staggered back, panic flashing across his face. "Julian? What is this?!"
"It’s over, Santiago," Julian said, his voice cold and commanding as he walked to my side. "I’ve already submitted the forensic breakdown of your forged documents to the FBI. The ledgers you’re trying to extort her with are fake, sloppy, and completely fraudulent."
"You traitor!" Nancy screamed, her face contorting in insane rage, pointing a shaking finger at her eldest son. "You side with this bitch over your own family?! I gave birth to you!"
"You raised a criminal, Mother," Julian replied without flinching. "And you helped him become one."
"Shut up! Shut up!" Santiago yelled, snatching the manila folder from the table. "We’re leaving! Nancy, let's go!"
Santiago turned toward the exit, lunging for the double doors.
He threw them open—only to be met by six armed tactical police officers with guns raised, red laser sights targeting his chest.
"POLICE! DON'T MOVE! GET ON THE GROUND NOW!"
Santiago shrieked in terror, dropping the folder as he was tackled hard onto the marble floor. Nancy screamed hysterically, trying to slap the officers, but she was quickly grabbed, forced against the wall, and cuffed in seconds.
"Santiago Vance, you are under arrest for federal extortion, mail fraud, grand larceny, and felony bail violation!" the lead officer bellowed. "Nancy Vance, you are under arrest for conspiracy, extortion, and criminal accomplice!"
As Santiago was pinned to the floor, his face pressed against the cold marble, he looked up at me, tears streaming down his face. "Chloe! Please! Tell them it’s a mistake! Julian, talk to them! I'm your brother!"
Julian looked down at him with zero pity. "I have no brother."
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I stepped forward, standing right beside Julian, looking down at the broken, weeping man who had once tried to destroy my life.
"You told me to smile, Santiago," I whispered, a slow, radiant smile spreading across my face as the officers pulled him to his feet. "I’m smiling now."
