Chapter 4 - THE LAWYERâS DEMISEAt 11:00 AM, inside the high-rise law offices of Cross & Associates, Julian Cross was pouring himself a glass of twenty-year-old scotch. He was smiling broadly, looking out over the Chicago skyline, waiting for his partner Victor Vance to arrive so they could celebrate the deal of the decade.
The heavy mahogany doors of his private office burst open.
Julian spun around, ready to berate his secretary, but stopped short. Standing in his doorway was not his secretary, but a wall of tactical police officers, accompanied by Arthur Vale and Sarah Bennett.
Sarah was dressed in a simple, elegant ivory dress provided by Arthurâs team. Her brown hair was pinned back, and her eyes, though still swollen from tears, held an unshakeable strength. Emily held her mother's hand, looking around the opulent office with curious eyes.
"What is the meaning of this intrusion?!" Julian demanded, slamming his glass onto the desk. "This is a private law firm! I am a senior partner! Get the hell out of my office before I have you all disbarred and sued into oblivion!"
Arthur walked in slowly, taking a seat in the velvet guest chair opposite Julianâs desk. He crossed his hands over his cane.
"Mr. Cross," Arthur said quietly. "Twelve years ago, you drafted a fraudulent lease-to-own contract for Sarah Bennett. You included an illegal hidden penalty clause on page forty-seven, printed in four-point font, designed to trigger an automatic default if a payment was late by even sixty seconds."
"That is a completely legal contractual safeguard!" Julian spat, his face flushing crimson. "She signed it! She's an adult! She defaulted on her payment in August 2021 by two hours! The property legally reverted to my client!"
"She didn't default," Sarah said, her voice clear and echoing through the grand office. "I brought the cash to your office three days early. You refused to give me a receipt, said your computer system was down, and told me to come back on Monday. When I came back on Monday, you told me I was late."
Julian sneered at her. "Prove it, you pathetic little dishwasher. It's your word against mine, and I have a notarized affidavit."
May you like
"You had a notarized affidavit," Arthur corrected smoothly. "Until forty-five minutes ago, when your notary public broke down under interrogation by the State Bar Association and confessed that you paid him $10,000 to falsify the timestamp on Sarah's receipt."
Julianâs hand began to tremble violently. The color drained from his face, leaving him looking like a ghost in his expensive tailored suit.
