Chapter 3: Rats in a Cage
Within forty-eight hours, everything the family had spent decades building collapsed.
Their luxury home was empty.
Their bank accounts were frozen.
Their names dominated every local news broadcast.
Most importantly...
They were no longer together.
Federal investigators kept each family member in separate holding cells.
Exactly as she expected.
The pressure didn't unite them.
It destroyed them.
Her younger brother cracked first.
Faced with years in prison, he broke down during questioning.
Between tears, he admitted Richard had ordered him to sign fake corporate documents.
He identified accounts.
Companies.
Transactions.
Anything prosecutors wanted.
His mother wasn't far behind.
The moment she realized her reputation could never be saved, survival became her only priority.
She claimed Richard had manipulated her.
Controlled her finances.
Forced her into the scheme.
She begged prosecutors for a reduced sentence.
Only Richard refused to bend.
Even after everything.
When investigators finally allowed him one supervised phone call, he ignored his attorney's number.
Instead...
He called his daughter.
She answered immediately.
"You think this means you've won?" Richard's raspy voice carried the same arrogance that had ruled their house for years.
"I'm still your father."
"You destroy me..."
"...you destroy yourself."
She listened without interrupting.
When he finished, she answered quietly.
"My name belongs to me."
"You don't."
"You're just another inmate waiting for sentencing."
She ended the call.
May you like
Then permanently blocked the number.
That was the last time they ever spoke.
