He raised his hands in the air, taking two frantic steps backward.
“It’s a mistake!” Julian screamed, tears of genuine panic streaming down his face as two heavily armed officers immediately tackled him. They slammed him hard against the very ice sculpture bearing the proud, glowing logo of Vanguard Holdings. The ice cracked under his weight.
The harsh, metallic click-click of steel handcuffs ratcheting tightly around his wrists echoed loudly through the dead-silent ballroom.
“Julian Vance,” the lead detective recited loudly, ensuring every single person in the room heard the charges. “You are under arrest for aggravated assault, kidnapping via chemical restraint, domestic terrorism, and the unlawful possession and administration of schedule-controlled substances.”
Julian thrashed wildly against the officers, his expensive tuxedo tearing at the shoulder, his face mashed against the cold ice sculpture.
“No! Look at her! She’s crazy!” Julian bellowed, frothing at the mouth, his arrogance utterly destroyed. “She took the pills! She set me up! I’m the CEO of this company! You can’t do this to me!”
From the front row of the stunned crowd, a distinguished, silver-haired man stepped forward. It was Arthur Sterling, the Chairman of the Board for Vanguard Holdings—the man who had just handed Julian the keys to the empire twenty minutes ago.
Sterling looked at Julian pinned against the ice, his face a mask of absolute, unadulterated disgust.
