Chapter 4 - The In-Laws Demand the Truth
By Wednesday morning, the local news headlines were ablaze with the scandal. In a town like Savannah, where pedigree and propriety meant everything, news of an arrest for child torture at an aristocratic Drayton Manor estate spread faster than wildfire across dry brush.
I spent the morning at the pediatric hospital, sitting by Teddy's bedside. The swelling in his knees had begun to subside, though the angry red scabs remained as painful reminders of his ordeal. He was coloring in a picture book, his small brow furrowed in concentration.
""Mommy?"" he asked softly, looking up with his big hazel eyes.
""Yes, my sweet boy?""
""Are the police mad at Grandma because of me?""
My heart squeezed tight. I pulled my chair closer, smoothing his soft brown curls away from his forehead. ""No, baby. The police are holding Grandma accountable because she broke the law. You didn't do anything wrong. You hear me? Not a single thing. You were so brave, Teddy.""
He nodded slowly, clutching Pickles under his chin, and went back to his crayons.
A knock sounded at the door. I expected Daniel, but instead, an elegant silver-haired gentleman in an impeccably tailored charcoal suit stood in the doorway. Behind him stood Julian Sterling, Brianna’s fiancé. Julian looked pale, disheveled, and completely hollowed out.
""Amelia Voss?"" the older man asked in a quiet, measured voice. ""I am Arthur Sterling. Julian's father.""
I stood up slowly, stepping into the private ante-room outside Teddy's room and closing the door softly behind me.
""Mr. Sterling,"" I said, folding my arms across my chest. ""If you're here to ask me to drop the charges against Brianna so your family's social calendar isn't disrupted, you can turn right around.""
Arthur Sterling held up a hand, his expression deeply somber. ""Quite the contrary, Ms. Voss. We came here to apologize to you, and to your son.""
Julian stepped forward, his voice cracking with humiliation. ""Amelia... I swear to God on my life, I didn't know. Brianna told me Teddy was with his father in Atlanta for the week. She told me the video on her phone was just a funny TikTok draft when I saw the thumbnail yesterday morning. When your attorney called my father’s legal team last night and sent the audio recording...""
Julian dropped his head into his hands, visibly trembling.
""My family has built our reputation over four generations in this city,"" Arthur Sterling said, his eyes filled with genuine disgust. ""We do not tolerate cruelty. And we certainly do not tolerate criminal deceit. Celeste Voss presented fraudulent documents to our family trust, claiming Drayton Manor was free and clear of all encumbrances and owned entirely by her.""
Arthur opened a leather portfolio and pulled out the dowry agreement Celeste had forged. ""She promised my son this house. She accepted a $150,000 preliminary engagement loan from our foundation to pay for wedding deposits, claiming it was secured by the property.""
""She committed grand larceny against you,"" I stated plainly.
""She did,"" Arthur agreed. ""Our attorneys filed a formal complaint with the state financial crimes division this morning. The wedding is canceled. Julian’s engagement to Brianna is terminated immediately. Furthermore, we are filing a lis pendens against any personal bank accounts Celeste and Raymond hold to recover our funds.""
Julian looked up, his eyes rimmed with red. ""How is Teddy? Can I... is there anything he needs? Toys, the best pediatric specialists in the state? My family will cover every single hospital expense, Amelia. Please let us do that.""
I studied Julian’s face. He wasn't a monster; he had simply been a trophy for my sister, an unsuspecting pawn in my mother’s desperate bid to stay socially relevant.
""Teddy will recover, Mr. Sterling,"" I said quietly. ""The hospital bills will be paid by Celeste and Raymond through the restitution ordered by the criminal court. But I appreciate your integrity in walking away.""
Arthur Sterling nodded respectfully. ""You are a formidable woman, Amelia. Your family never deserved your loyalty. If you need any legal assistance in ensuring that title remains entirely in your name, the Sterling legal team is at your disposal.""
May you like
They turned and walked down the sterile hospital corridor. As I watched them leave, I checked my phone. There were forty-two missed calls from my parents' criminal bail bondsman.
The bail had been set at $100,000 each. And they had no cash to pay it.
