Chapter 5
The door to Kingston's office burst open with a bang that made me flinch. Detective Sarah Martinez strode in, her badge glinting under the fluorescent lights. Behind her, two uniformed officers stood ready, their expressions grim.
"Vivian Bennett?" Detective Martinez's voice was clipped, professional. "You're under arrest for attempted assault, criminal conspiracy, and theft."
I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. The room seemed to tilt sideways as Kingston stepped back, his face a mask of cold fury.
"This is ridiculous," I whispered, but no one was listening.
The detective recited my rights in a monotone voice as one of the officers approached with handcuffs. The metal was cold against my wrists, the click of the latch echoing in my ears like a death knell.
"Let's go," she said, gripping my arm.
As they led me out, Kingston's office emptied into the open-plan area. Dozens of eyes turned to stare—colleagues I'd worked with for years, people I'd managed and mentored. Their faces showed shock, disgust, morbid curiosity.
"Is it true?" someone whispered. "Did she really try to hurt Estella?"
I kept my eyes forward, my spine rigid despite the humiliation burning through me. But I couldn't help seeing Estella from the corner of my eye, her perfectly made-up face buried against Kingston's shoulder, her body shaking with what appeared to be sobs.
"She was obsessed with him," Estella's voice carried, deliberately loud enough for me to hear. "I told you something was wrong with her."
Kingston's arm wrapped around her protectively. He didn't look at me—not once—as the officers guided me toward the elevator.
"Kingston," I called out, a final plea. "You know I wouldn't—"
"Get her out of here," he cut me off, his voice ice-cold.
The last thing I saw before the elevator doors closed was his back, turned firmly away from me.
---
The holding cell was eight feet by ten feet of concrete and despair. They'd taken my blazer, my phone, my dignity—everything except the thin blouse and skirt I wore. The bench was too short to lie down on, too hard to sit on comfortably.
I hugged my knees to my chest, shivering in the cold air. The fluorescent lights never dimmed, making it impossible to tell how much time had passed.
"Your first time?" A female officer asked as she brought me a paper cup of water.
"Yes," I admitted, my voice hoarse.
"Should've thought of that before you tried to have someone attacked."
I didn't bother responding. What was the point? The evidence was stacked against me—doctored recordings, forged signatures, my own father's drunken confession.
As the hours stretched into what felt like eternity, my carefully constructed composure began to crack. I thought of all the times I'd swallowed my pride for Kingston, all the nights I'd lain awake wondering if he'd ever choose me. All for nothing.
"I was loyal," I whispered to the empty cell. "I was everything he wanted."
Except I wasn't. I was convenient. Disposable. A secret to be kept in the shadows until I became an inconvenience.
The reality of my situation crashed over me like a wave. No one was coming for me. No one would stand up for me. I'd protected Kingston at every turn, and this was my reward—a prison cell.
Something broke inside me then. The dam I'd built to hold back my emotions crumbled, and I began to cry—not the quiet, controlled tears I'd shed in private, but deep, wrenching sobs that tore from my chest.
I mourned the death of the woman I'd tried so hard to be—the perfect assistant, the understanding mistress, the silent keeper of secrets. She was gone, replaced by this broken person huddled on a concrete floor.
---
I don't know how long I cried before exhaustion claimed me. I drifted in and out of consciousness, jerking awake at every sound in the corridor.
When the cell door finally opened, I didn't bother to look up. Another officer with more questions, no doubt.
"Vivian."
That voice. Not an officer's. Not a lawyer's.
I raised my head slowly, disbelieving.
Charles Black stood in the doorway, his tall frame silhouetted against the harsh lights of the corridor. He looked impossibly out of place in his bespoke suit and polished shoes, a gentleman in a place of degradation.
"Come," he said softly, extending his hand. "You're free."
I stared at him, unable to process his presence. "How?"
"I posted your bail." He stepped into the cell, shrugging off his trench coat. "And I'm taking you away from here."
He wrapped the coat around my shoulders, the warmth and scent of expensive cologne enveloping me. His hands were gentle as he buttoned it closed, treating me with a tenderness I'd forgotten existed.
"It's over, Vivian," he murmured, his eyes holding mine. "I'm taking you away."
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