Chapter 7 - The Reckoning of the Whitmores
"Nathan Whitmore," the lead officer declared loudly, his voice echoing across the quieted red carpet. "You are under arrest for grand larceny, bank fraud, and filing a false police report."
Nathan’s face turned from red to ghost-white. "What?! This is a mistake! My family donates millions to the department!"
"The paper trail doesn't lie, Mr. Whitmore," the officer replied coldly, clicking the cuffs around Nathan’s wrists. "Mr. Moretti’s legal team provided the original bank ledgers an hour ago. You forged those receipts to cover three hundred thousand dollars in gambling debts you owed to offshore accounts."
The crowd erupted into a frenzy of camera flashes and shouted questions.
"Is it true, Nathan?!" reporters screamed. "Did you frame your own bride?!"
Nathan’s mother fell to her knees on the red carpet, sobbing hysterically, while Veronica Hale attempted to sneak away into the museum doors.
"Going somewhere, Miss Hale?" Dante’s deep voice stopped her in her tracks.
Veronica froze, slowly turning around, her eyes filled with pure terror.
Dante stepped toward her, pulling a small clear bag from his inner jacket pocket. Inside was the tiny seam-ripper blade his men had recovered from the cathedral floor.
"Intentional destruction of private property valued at over one hundred thousand dollars is a felony in the state of New York," Dante said smoothly. "My lawyers have already filed the civil suit. You will be paying for the damage to Clara’s original gown for the rest of your natural life."
Veronica broke down into frantic, ugly tears, clutching her designer purse as security guards escorted her off the carpet.
Nathan was dragged down the stairs in handcuffs, kicking and shouting my name.
"Clara! Please! Talk to him! Tell him to stop! I loved you! Clara!"
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I stood at the top of the marble stairs, holding Dante’s arm, and watched my ex-fiancé get pushed into the back of a police cruiser. I felt no anger left in my heart. No sadness. Only the deep, satisfying peace of absolute justice.
I turned my back on Nathan Whitmore forever.
