Victoria's jaw dropped open as she stared at Maya in complete disbelief.
Victoria: What... what did you just say?
Maya: I said I'm the forensic accountant hired by the board of trustees.
Eleanor: You're the lead auditor from Sterling & Associates?
Maya: That's right, Mrs. Sterling. My name is Maya Lin. I hold a master's degree in corporate financial fraud investigation.
Guest 1: Oh my goodness! She's not a regular staff member!
Guest 2: She was undercover to inspect the estate foundation's accounts!
Maya reached into her serving apron, pulling out a sleek silver badge and a formal corporate identification card, holding them up for everyone to see.
Maya: Your husband, Mr. Arthur Sterling, personally hired my firm three weeks ago after noticing missing funds in the estate trust fund.
Victoria: My father hired you?!
Maya: Yes. He suspected someone on the family committee was siphoning funds from the children's hospital fund. I took a temporary position with the catering staff tonight to observe the family members up close.
Eleanor: Arthur knew about this? Why didn't he tell me?
Maya: Because he didn't know who he could trust, Mrs. Sterling. Not even his own wife or daughter.
Victoria took another step backward, her back pressing against the marble pillar near the entrance.
Victoria: You set me up! You knew I was going to frame you!
Maya: I didn't set you up, Victoria. You fell into your own trap. I saw you panicking near the ledger desk twenty minutes ago when you realized the financial audit starts tomorrow at nine in the morning.
Victoria: I was going to put the money back! I just needed a few more weeks!
Maya: Three hundred thousand dollars isn't a simple loan, Victoria. That is grand larceny and embezzlement from a non-profit charity trust.
Eleanor: Victoria... tell me this is a nightmare. Tell me my daughter isn't a common criminal!
Victoria: Mom, help me! Talk to dad! Tell him not to press charges!
Eleanor: Press charges? If the press gets wind of this, our family stock will drop twenty percent by market open!
Maya: The press already knows, Mrs. Sterling.
Eleanor froze, turning her head slowly toward Maya.
Eleanor: What did you say?
Maya: The security feed from this living room isn't just saving to the internal cloud. It's live-streaming directly to the board of directors and the state prosecutor's office.
Victoria: NO!
Maya: Your father is currently in a meeting with the district attorney right now, watching everything that happened in this room.
Outside the mansion's front gates, sirens began wailing in the distance, getting louder and closer by the second.
Guest 1: Are those police sirens?
Guest 2: They're coming for Victoria!
Victoria looked around the room in absolute panic, but guests quickly stepped away from her, leaving her isolated in the middle of the floor.
Victoria: Mom, please! Do something! Don't let them take me!
Eleanor: You brought this shame upon our house, Victoria! You framed an innocent woman and stole from sick children!
Victoria: You never cared about those children! You only care about your reputation!
Maya: Both of you cared about status while stepping on anyone you thought was beneath you. But tonight, the truth wins.
The heavy front oak doors flew open, and four state police officers marched into the luxury living room.
Police Officer: Victoria Sterling?
Victoria's body trembled violently as she looked at the silver handcuffs hanging from the officer's belt.
Victoria: I... I didn't do anything wrong!
Police Officer: You are under arrest for grand larceny, embezzlement, and filing a false police report. You have the right to remain silent.