Sinclair's Lost Heir[The Rise Of The Betrayed Son-in-law]

CHAPTER 1

Ethan’s POV

“Ethan Carter!” barked one of the officers, his tone leaving no room for explanation.

My fingers froze on the keyboard as heads shot up around me. The noise level dipped into an eerie silence before erupting into frantic whispers. I never saw it coming. One moment, I was sitting at my desk, going over the final numbers for the day, the soft hum of printers and the low murmur of employees filling the office.

The next, the heavy double doors to the finance department slammed open, and the room was flooded with uniformed officers and security guards.

I turned my head, my pulse quickening. I still remember the shock as if it were yesterday. I had been poring over quarterly reports in my Manhattan office when the sound of rapid footsteps and raised voices shattered the calm.

I rose unsteadily, my heart hammering in my chest, as I tried to form a question. “What’s going on? Who—what is this about?” I managed, my usual firm voice trembling, my words dissolved into a cacophony of orders.

A stocky officer, badge gleaming under the fluorescent lights, was pushing through the stunned crowd of my colleagues. His eyes locked onto me with a piercing authority that sent a chill down my spine.

“Ethan Carter?”

“That’s me,” I said cautiously, standing. “What’s going on?”

The officer didn’t waste time. “Ethan Carter, you are under arrest for embezzlement of company funds, wire fraud, and falsification of financial records totaling fifteen million dollars.”

The words hit me like a sledgehammer. My mouth opened, but no words came out. I could hear the gasps around me, the murmurs spreading like wildfire.

The officer took a step closer, his voice sharp. “You are also being charged with infidelity and breach of marital trust.”

“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can, and may be used against you in the court of law.”

I blinked, my heart pounding in my chest. “Infidelity?” I croaked. “This—this has to be a mistake!”

“Tell that to your lawyer,” another officer sneered as he grabbed my arm. The grip was firm, final.

“Wait! This is ridiculous! I never stole a dime, and I never cheated on my wife! There has to be some misunderstanding.”

I swallowed hard, “I’ve done nothing wrong…” I began, but my words were drowned out by the growing murmurs outside.

The office was in chaos. Employees stood frozen at their desks, mouths still agape. Others exchanged wide-eyed glances, whispering among themselves.

“Did you hear that? Fifteen million dollars!”

“And cheating on Vanessa? He always seemed so loyal.”

“I knew something was off about him.”

Their words felt like sharp knives in my back. I turned, desperate to make someone—anyone—see reason.

“You all know me!” I pleaded. “I would never do this!”

Silence. Doubt. No one stepped forward.

Then came the sound of hurried footsteps descending from the upper floor. My head snapped toward the glass staircase just in time to see two figures emerging—Richard and Vanessa Hale.

Over the past five years of being married to Vanessa, our marriage has never really been one of true bliss or anything even close to it. In fact, seeing her there with teary eyes had been more tormenting in a way that I could really not explain.

Richard, her father and the CEO of Hale Pharmaceuticals, had a masterfully crafted look of concern on his face. “Officers,” he called, his voice deep and commanding, “what is the meaning of this?”

The lead officer straightened. “Mr. Hale, I apologize for the disturbance. We have a warrant for Ethan Carter’s arrest on charges of embezzlement and fraud. He’s also being accused of infidelity. We need to take him in.”

Vanessa gasped amidst sobs, stepping closer to me. “Ethan…” her voice was small, trembling. “Tell me it’s not true. Tell me you didn’t—” She choked on her own words, fresh tears spilling over. “Tell me you didn’t betray me.”

I shook my head vehemently. “Vanessa, you know me! I would never cheat on you. And embezzlement? This is insane! You have to believe me.”

She searched my face, her lip quivering. “They have evidence, Ethan. Bank transactions… pictures. I saw them.”

“Honestly, I don’t know what is with all of that. You have to believe me! This has got to be a mix-up!” I turned to Richard, expecting him to step in, to say something, to at least question the absurdity of it all. But his eyes were cold, calculating, his expression unreadable.

The officers shifted impatiently. “Mr. Hale, again, we apologize for the scene. We need to take him now.”

Richard sighed heavily, shaking his head as though deeply pained. “I trusted you, Ethan. I brought you into this family, into this company. I didn’t think you were capable of such… betrayal.”

“I didn’t betray anyone!” I shouted, but my voice cracked, a growing desperation seeping into it.

“Vanessa, please!”

“Take him away,” Richard finally said, stepping back.

The officers yanked me forward, but my mind was spinning. As I was dragged toward the exit, something caught my eye—Richard Hale. For a fleeting second, the corners of his lips twitched upward. A smirk.

My blood turned to ice.

Had I imagined it? No, I was sure. For the briefest moment, Richard Hale had smiled.

I looked back again to make certain of what I thought I had seen but instead I was met with the sight of a broken Vanessa sobbing into her father’s arms, as my world shattered around me.

Just before I was ushered into a waiting police vehicle, I caught hold of the least expected sight. Up there by the window, looking down at me, Vanessa smiled. She smiled.

The police van barely rolled to a stop before chaos erupted outside the station. A wave of flashing lights burst through the tinted windows, bright and blinding, illuminating the cramped interior of the vehicle. The muffled roar of voices outside grew deafening within seconds. My heart pounded. I wasn’t prepared for this.

The doors swung open, and the noise hit me in full force. The crowd surged forward in an unrelenting mass. Journalists and news anchors, their microphones brandished like weapons, shoved against one another, all clawing for a chance to capture the biggest scandal of the year.

The officers forced a path through the madness, dragging me inside the station. The thick wooden doors shut behind us, dulling the shouting outside. My head was spinning, my heart hammering against my ribs. But I had no time to breathe.

The officer at the desk barely glanced at me as he nodded to the men holding me. “Take him to interrogation.”