“Four years,” she whispered, her chest heaving. “My daughter slept in a room where rain poured through the ceiling. There were weeks I ate one meal a day so Lily would have milk. And that coward lived in a mansion, driving luxury cars, acting like a pillar of the community!”
The forensic evidence was immediately handed over to federal and state financial prosecutors.
The revelation struck the county like a bomb. For the first time, the supposedly untouchable Vance family was under public scrutiny.
Two days later, Flynn Vance showed up at Damian’s newly purchased ranch house, sweating heavily through his designer shirt.
“We can handle this quietly, Vance,” Flynn pleaded, glancing around anxiously. “Tell Mabel I’ll pay her out! A new house, cash settlement, whatever she wants. Just pull the forensic filings!”
Damian stared at him with icy contempt. “You didn’t destroy a wall that can be patched with cash, Flynn. You stole a mother’s reputation and left a toddler to starve.”
When Damian later presented Flynn’s settlement proposal to Mabel, she immediately shook her head.
“I don’t want his hush money,” Mabel said firmly. “I want my daughter to grow up knowing that her mother’s name was cleared by the truth, not bought off with a check.”
It appeared the prosecution was now impossible to stop.
Then, on a rainy Thursday afternoon, an unexpected visitor arrived at Damian’s estate.
It was Phoebe Vance—Flynn’s younger sister.
She looked pale, clutching a thick leather accordion folder tightly against her chest.
“I know what my brother did,” Phoebe said, her voice trembling.
Damian stood in the doorway. “How long have you known?”
