Chapter 7 - THE FALL OF VICTORIA
The fallout from the live press conference was swift and merciless.
By Wednesday evening, the Montgomery family had officially filed for an immediate annulment of Charles’s marriage to Victoria Gallagher, desperately trying to distance their real estate empire from the burning ruins of the Gallagher reputation.
Victoria Gallagher, once the undisputed golden princess of Manhattan’s elite society, found herself trapped inside her luxury penthouse apartment, surrounded by dozens of screaming reporters and federal agents waiting outside with an arrest warrant.
At eight o'clock that night, a black limousine escorted by four armored SUVs pulled up to the private rear entrance of Victoria’s building.
Penelope stepped out of the car, accompanied by Dominic and four armed syndicate guards.
Federal agents standing at the private elevator bowed respectfully to Dominic, stepping aside to let them pass. Dominic owned half the security contracts in the building.
The private elevator whisked them straight to the top floor.
Dominic’s enforcers kicked open the heavy double doors of Victoria’s penthouse.
Inside, the luxury apartment was a disaster. Expensive crystal glasses were shattered on the marble floor, clothes were strewn everywhere, and Victoria stood near the bar, looking frantic, pale, and completely unraveled, holding a half-empty bottle of wine.
When Victoria saw Penelope walking into her living room, dressed in an immaculate burgundy designer gown, glowing with confidence, and flanked by Dominic Costello, her jaw dropped open in pure horror.
"Penny?" Victoria gasped, her voice trembling with hysterical rage. "What... what are you doing here?! You ruined my life! You destroyed my marriage!"
Penelope walked slowly across the marble floor, stopping five feet from her older sister.
"You destroyed your own life, Victoria," Penelope said calmly, looking down at the woman who had tormented her for decades. "The moment you set that fire in the Hamptons and locked the door."
"It was an accident!" Victoria shrieked, tears smearing her heavy eye makeup. "I was scared! Dad told me to forget about it! He said you were fat and ugly anyway, that no one would care about you!"
Dominic took a slow, menacing step forward, his icy eyes fixing on Victoria with lethal rage. "Say another word about her appearance, Victoria, and I will ensure you serve your prison sentence in the harshest federal facility in the state."
Victoria flinched violently, cowering back against the bar. She had seen Dominic Costello on the news for years. She knew he was a man who could make people vanish without a trace.
Penelope looked at her sister—no longer afraid, no longer envious, feeling only a profound sense of pity for the hollow, cruel woman before her.
"The federal marshals are downstairs, Victoria," Penelope said softly. "You're going to answer for what you did to me."
Two federal agents walked past Dominic, snapping silver handcuffs around Victoria’s wrists. Victoria screamed and sobbed as she was dragged out of her penthouse, her luxury life stripped away forever.
Penelope turned to Dominic, breathing out a long, cathartic sigh.
May you like
"Is it over?" she asked quietly.
Dominic wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her soft body against his chest. "Not yet. We still have to deal with your father."
