Chapter 132
Chapter 132:
“You…” Arthur’s voice broke. “You told him he could p>
Petunia looked up, her eyes wild. She rushed toward Arthur, clutching his wet sleeve.
“Arthur, please! I did it for us! For Victor! We need the money! Skye has millions sitting in those accounts, and she won’t help her own cousin! I had to do it p>
“She is my brother’s daughter!” Arthur roared.
The sound tore through his throat, raw and painful. He stood up, shaking Petunia off. She stumbled back.
Arthur raised his hand.
Crack.
The slap echoed through the room, louder than the thunder. Petunia fell back onto the sofa, clutching her cheek, shocked into absolute silence. Arthur looked at his own hand, trembling violently. He was a weak man, a greedy man, but he had drawn a line in the sand of his morality, and his wife had just sprinted past it.
“She is family,” Arthur whispered, tears leaking from his eyes. “We are thieves, Petunia. But we are not monsters. You let that… that animal touch her p>
Alistair watched the domestic implosion with cold detachment.
“Skye was prepared, Arthur. She was wearing a recording device of her own. But I prefer Timothy’s phone. It captured the conspiracy from the source p>
The front door opened again. This time, it wasn’t family. It was a team of three men in sharp grey suits, carrying briefcases. Skye’s legal team, summoned by Alistair ten minutes ago.
They didn’t look at the drama. They didn’t look at the weeping woman or the broken man. They walked straight to the coffee table and set down a document.
The lead lawyer, a man with eyes like flint, looked at Alistair. Alistair nodded.
“This is a Voluntary Relinquishment of Inheritance and Assets,” the lawyer stated, his voice devoid of emotion. “It transfers all remaining Sterling family holdings, including this property, to Ms. Skye Sterling. It also includes a confession of attempted fraud and conspiracy to commit assault p>
Arthur looked at the document. The letters seemed to swim before his eyes.
𝘙𝗈𝗺𝘢𝘯𝖼𝖾 𝗻𝘰ve𝗹s o𝗻 𝗯𝖾.сo𝘮
“If I sign this,” Arthur said, his voice hollow, “we are destitute p>
“The assets are toxic, Arthur,” the lawyer corrected coldly. “The manor is mortgaged to the hilt. The accounts are drained. The only thing of value in this rotting pile of lumber is the old mechanical vault in the basement, and even that is empty. You aren’t signing over a fortune; you are signing over a ruin. But Ms. Sterling requires full control to liquidate the debts. And this transfer will be sealed. The public will simply believe you retired. Your shame will be private p>
“If you don’t sign it,” Alistair said softly, standing up and unbuttoning his jacket, “that recording goes to the District Attorney in exactly…” He checked his watch. “…five minutes. Kidnapping. Assault. Conspiracy. You and your wife will die in prison, Arthur. And Victor? He’ll be alone p>
Petunia sobbed into her hands. “Arthur, don’t p>
Arthur looked at her with pure disgust. He picked up the pen.
His hand shook so badly he could barely hold it.
He signed.
He signed away the house. He signed away the legacy. He signed away his pride.
The lawyer took the document, checked the signature, and nodded. He packed it away instantly.