Chapter 5 - The Financial Extinction
Sitting in my private hospital room, watching the news coverage on the wall-mounted television, I felt no joy, no triumph—only a cold, clean sense of justice taking its course.
Alex sat beside me, peeling an apple with his pocket knife, while Evelyn Cross stood near the window, reviewing a thick stack of financial documents on her tablet.
"The grand jury met an hour ago," Evelyn announced, turning toward us with a satisfied smile. "Given the public pressure and the indisputable nature of the video evidence, the judge denied bail for all four of them. They will remain in maximum-security remand cells until the trial."
"What about their company?" I asked softly, shifting slightly in bed to avoid putting pressure on my bruised ribs.
Evelyn let out a low chuckle. "That's where the fun begins, Maya."
She pulled up a series of corporate spreadsheets on her screen.
"Raul Miller is a senior partner at Miller & Hayes Accounting," Evelyn explained. "By five o'clock today, after the video went viral, his managing partners held an emergency board meeting. They voted unanimously to terminate his partnership, seize his equity shares to cover reputational damages, and report his personal accounts to the IRS for a full audit."
"And Victor?" Alex asked, his voice dark.
"Victor's employer—Logistics United—issued an immediate public statement terminating his employment with cause," Evelyn continued. "Furthermore, because he used his corporate credit card to buy the very stick he used on Maya, the company is suing him for embezzlement and misuse of corporate funds."
I blinked in surprise. "He bought the stick with his company card?"
"He told his supervisor it was a 'structural sample' for a warehouse project," Evelyn sneered. "He's not just a monster, Maya—he's an idiot."
Evelyn set her tablet down on my bedside table. "Now, let's talk about your civil suit."
"Civil suit?" I repeated.
"The criminal trial will put them in prison," Evelyn explained, leaning close. "But the civil suit will strip them of every cent they have ever owned. I have already filed an emergency motion to freeze all personal bank accounts, trust funds, investment portfolios, and real estate assets tied to Raul, Helena, Victor, and Nora Miller."
"Can they do that before the trial?" I asked.
"When there is clear evidence of violent felony assault and an imminent risk of asset dissipation? Absolutely," Evelyn replied. "I also filed for an immediate dissolution of your marriage on grounds of extreme cruelty, along with a full protective order and total forfeiture of Victor's marital rights."
"He will never touch my daughter," I said, my voice firm and absolute.
"He won't even be allowed to say her name," Evelyn promised. "By the time I am finished with them, Victor Miller will own nothing but the orange jumpsuit provided by the state, and his family will be entirely bankrupt."
A soft knock came at the door. Dr. Vance stepped in, holding a small portable ultrasound machine.
"Time for your evening checkup, Maya," Dr. Vance said warmly.
She applied the cool gel to my bump and placed the transducer down. Instantly, the room filled with that wonderful, rhythmic sound:
Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump...
I looked at the small black-and-white screen. The tiny silhouette of my baby daughter was moving, her tiny fingers opening and closing, her heart beating strong and fast.
Alex leaned over, his eyes wide as he stared at the screen, a soft, goofy smile spreading across his broad face. "Look at her, Maya. She's a fighter. Just like her mom."
May you like
"She's a Mercer," I corrected softly, placing my hand over his big, bruised knuckles. "We don't break."
"No," Alex agreed, his eyes shining with tears he refused to let fall. "We don't."
