The Confession In The Study

The heavy mahogany doors of the estate study slammed shut as Roman threw Victoria onto the leather sofa.

Sadie stood trembling in the doorway, clutching her apron, her eyes wide with shock and confusion.

Victoria: You have no right to hold me here! This is unlawful imprisonment! My attorney will dismantle your hedge fund!

Roman: Sit down and shut your mouth, Victoria, before I let my head of security handle you.

Roman walked over to his massive mahogany desk and pressed the intercom button.

Roman: Marcus. Tell me you have the location on that burner ping.

The crackle of the security intercom filled the room, followed by the steady voice of the estate's chief operative.

Marcus: We tracked the cell tower transmission to warehouse district seven off Trinity River, Mr. Sterling.

Roman: Send three tactical units right now. Secure the perimeter and bring Toby home safely.

Marcus: Units are already en route. ETA five minutes to breach.

Sadie gasped, a hand flying to her mouth as tears spilled down her face once more.

Sadie: You... you found him? You know where Toby is?

Roman turned toward Sadie, the severe lines of his face softening just a fraction.

Roman: My satellites pinged the burner device the moment it crossed into county lines. He will be safe in ten minutes.

Victoria sneered from the sofa, rubbing her red wrist where Roman had gripped her.

Victoria: Don't celebrate yet, little maid. Julian isn't alone in that warehouse. He has men who don't care about Roman's money.

Roman pulled open the top drawer of his desk, pulling out a thick manila folder tied with black ribbon.

He tossed it onto the glass coffee table right in front of Victoria's face.

Roman: Read page four, Victoria. Go ahead.

Victoria hesitated, then reached out with trembling fingers to open the legal document.

Her eyes scanned the bold black print, and her face went paper-white.

Victoria: This... this is my father's liquidation agreement. Where did you get this?

Roman: I bought your family bank at six o'clock this morning. Every debt, every mortgage, every single asset belongs to me.

Victoria: That's impossible! The Vance trust is protected by offshore holding companies!

Roman: It was protected until your brother wired five hundred thousand dollars from an unregistered shell account to hire those kidnappers.

Sadie stepped closer to the desk, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sadie: You knew? You knew they were coming after Toby?

Roman looked at Sadie, shaking his head slowly.

Roman: I knew Victoria's brother was bleeding cash from their trust fund. I didn't realize they had stooped low enough to target my staff.

Victoria: She isn't your staff, Roman! She's a nobody! A girl from South Dallas who scrubs your bathroom tiles!

Roman: She has more honor in her little finger than your entire bloodline has ever shown.

Victoria clenched her fists, her knuckles whitening as sheer desperation took over.

Victoria: Roman, please... we can fix this. Cancel the police dispatch! I will tell Julian to release the boy right now!

Roman: You don't have the authority to tell anyone anything anymore.

The desk telephone rang sharply, cutting through the heavy tension of the room.

Roman picked up the receiver and pressed the speaker button.

Marcus: Mr. Sterling, the breach is complete. The boy is unharmed. Julian Vance is in zip-ties on the pavement.

Sadie dropped to her knees, burying her face in her hands as loud, ragged sobs of relief shook her whole body.

Sadie: Toby... oh thank God... thank God!

Victoria sank back into the leather cushions, staring blankly ahead as her entire world collapsed into dust.

Victoria: Julian... they caught him?

Roman: The Dallas police are loading him into a squad car as we speak. And your turn is next.