Chapter 9: The Walk of Shame
Chapter 9: The Walk of Shame
The sun began to rise over the East Coast, casting a pale, golden light through the newly revealed glass ceilings of the Hawthorne Museum.
Outside, a sea of journalists, news vans, and photographers pressed against the police barricades. The live stream had ended, but the real-world spectacle was just beginning.
One by one, the most powerful people in the city were marched out the front doors in handcuffs.
Senator Vance hid his face behind his jacket, but the cameras flashed relentlessly, capturing his ruin forever. Judge Carter wept openly as he was pushed into the back of a federal vehicle. Commissioner Davis stared straight ahead, his career and legacy shattered into dust.
And then came Grant Holloway.
He didn't have his platinum cuff links. His suit was ruined. He looked small, weak, and entirely broken. As he was led down the marble steps, the crowd of reporters erupted into a frenzy of shouted questions.
He didn't answer. He just looked back at the museum doors.
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Mara stood at the top of the steps, bathed in the morning light. She didn't gloat. She didn't wave. She simply watched him go, ensuring that the last thing he saw as a free man was the woman he thought he could break.
The police cars pulled away, their sirens cutting through the crisp morning air, taking the corruption of the city with them.
