Chapter 11
Starla nodded eagerly in agreement. I looked at their smug faces and let out a soft, mocking laugh.
“So, you really think that a measly down payment of seven thousand five hundred dollars entitles you to half of my seven hundred and fifty thousand dollar
property? You actually thought I’d be that easy to fool?”
Samuel‘ s expression hardened when he saw I wasn‘ t backing down.
“Well then, there’s nothing left to discuss. I legally own fifty percent of the property. Even if this ends up in court, the worst–case scenario is a fifty–fifty split. I don’t lose either way–especially with a wife and a child on the way.”
With that, he wrapped his arm around Starla’s waist, casting me a smug look as if to flaunt his new “family.”
Starla nodded eagerly in agreement. I looked at their smug faces and let out a soft, mocking laugh.
“So, you really think that a measly down payment of seven thousand five hundred dollars entitles you to half of my seven hundred and fifty thousand dollar
property? You actually thought I’d be that easy to fool?”
Samuel‘ s expression hardened when he saw I wasn’t backing down.
“Well then, there’s nothing left to discuss. I legally own fifty percent of the property. Even if this ends up in court, the worst–case scenario is a fifty–fifty split. I don‘ t lose either way–especially with a wife and a child on the way.”
With that, he wrapped his arm around Starla’s waist, casting me a smug look as if to flaunt his new “family.”
I held my gaze steady, a faint smile playing at my lips. “Is that so?”
Just as I finished speaking, a commanding voice sounded from the doorway.
“Excuse me, is Mr. Samuel Pearce here? You are under suspicion of theft and we need you to come with us.”
Samuel froze, staring in shock at the two
officers.
“Officers, you must have the wrong person! I’m a law–abiding citizen–there’s no way I could be involved in theft!”
One of the officers pulled out an incident report. “You‘ re suspected of stealing jewelry from Ms. Martinez, valued at over
five hundred thousand dollars. The
evidence is conclusive, so we need you to
come with us.”
Samuel blinked, stunned and then slowly turned to look at me. “Cassey, are you actually setting me up?”
I stepped forward, grabbed Starla’s wrist
and held it up, pointing at the bracelet she was wearing.
“Does this look familiar to you?”
On Starla’s wrist was the very bracelet Samuel had gifted her for her birthday—the white gold and diamond piece worth tens of thousands of dollars.
Samuel stood there, completely stunned.
I gave his shoulder a light pat. “You might not know this, but every luxury item has a unique code and its purchase history can be checked in an instant.”
Samuel was promptly arrested, while Starla, shaking with fear, could barely stand and had to be helped out of the civil affairs office.
Samuel tried multiple times to request a meeting with me, but I refused each one. Finally, after the police filed formal charges, I agreed to see him.
When we met again, he was nothing like his former, confident self–exhausted, disheveled and looking at me with pure malice in his eyes.
100
“Cassey, feeling pretty satisfied with yourself, aren’t you? How are you this heartless? It was just an affair and you had to go this far to ruin me? Starla and I are divorced now–I was ready to make things work with you! Why did you have to throw me in jail?”
I met his gaze, my expression cold. “You shouldn’t have tried to threaten me.”
Samuel froze, the realization hitting him as he remembered the day he‘ d used the house as leverage. His face softened immediately, desperation setting in.
“Cass, I know I was wrong. Please, just give me one more chance. I’ll walk away from the house, leave it all to you, even forget about the down payment. Just sign the settlement and get me out of here. I mean, what’s a few hundred thousand to
100% 18:07
4/5
Chapter 11
you?”
I let out a quiet, mocking laugh.
“Alright then! Sign the property transfer agreement right now and I’ll sign the settlement in front of you.”
99
Samuel‘ s eyes brightened with surprise, as if he could hardly believe it.
“You‘ re agreeing just like that?”
I nodded calmly. “What did you expect? It’s not like I can come visit you in jail every day just to negotiate.”
Though he looked slightly suspicious, Samuel couldn’t resist. I took out the settlement form I’d prepared in advance, signed my name smoothly and handed it over to him.
