Chapter 9 - The Fall of Christopher HaleThe main ballroom of the Hale Estate was still half-filled with wealthy donors, press, and board members when the side doors burst open.
Christopher Hale was standing on the stage, a microphone in his hand, preparing to make his closing remarks and announce his temporary guardianship over Ethan’s estate.
“...and so, it is with a heavy heart that I must announce my son’s retirement from public life due to his worsening condition—”
“That is a lie!”
My voice rang out across the ballroom, amplified by the high ceilings.
The crowd gasped. Christopher’s microphone squealed with feedback as he stared at me, his eyes widening in pure horror. Behind me walked Mrs. Albright, Ethan, and two uniformed police officers.
“What is the meaning of this? Security!” Christopher screamed.
But the security guards didn't move. They stood down on Mrs. Albright’s orders.
Ethan stepped onto the stage. He looked calm, dignified, and incredibly powerful. He looked at the press cameras, then at the crowd. He began to sign, his movements slow, deliberate, and beautiful.
I stood right beside him, speaking into a wireless microphone, my voice carrying his words to every corner of the room.
“‘My mother, Eleanor Hale, did not leave this company to a tyrant,’” I translated, my voice strong and unwavering. “‘She left it to the future. Today, we present the original, certified will of Eleanor Hale, which names me as the sole owner of her forty percent share, effective immediately.’”
Mrs. Albright stepped up, holding the document high for the cameras to see.
“‘Furthermore,’” I continued, translating Ethan’s rapid signing, “‘we have submitted evidence to the federal authorities detailing Christopher Hale’s embezzlement of over eighty million dollars from the company’s charity fund, as well as his attempts to blackmail and frame my assistant, Mary Lin.’”
The ballroom erupted into chaos. Flashbulbs went off like starlight. Christopher’s face drained of all color. He looked around wildly, but his friends, his associates, and his board members all stepped away from him, leaving him completely isolated on the stage.
The two police officers stepped up onto the stage, producing a pair of handcuffs.
“Christopher Hale, you are under arrest for corporate fraud, embezzlement, and conspiracy to frame an innocent civilian,” the lead officer said.
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As they led Christopher away in handcuffs, he looked back at Ethan, his face twisted in defeat. But Ethan didn't look at him with hatred. He looked at him with pity.
The reign of Christopher Hale was over.
