Chapter 12 - The Order on the Table
Maya placed the protective order in front of Derek.
He read the first page twice.
“This is temporary.”
“Yes,” Maya replied.
“This is based on her lies.”
“It is based on photographs, a medical examination, a recorded threat, and sworn statements.”
“I never hit her.”
Skylar’s voice remained steady.
“You threw the mug. You grabbed me. You shoved me into the cabinet.”
“You fell.”
The younger officer touched the body camera mounted on his vest.
Derek noticed.
Every denial he made inside the apartment was being recorded.
Maya pointed to the final section.
“You are prohibited from entering this property, contacting Skylar directly, accessing her financial accounts, or removing any items without supervised authorization.”
Derek’s breathing grew heavier.
“My clothes are here.”
“They will be collected later.”
“My office is here.”
“You should have considered that before assaulting the owner.”
Suzanne stood near the doorway, suddenly desperate to separate herself from him.
“I don’t live here.”
Skylar looked at the slippers on Suzanne’s feet.
“No. You just arrived early to replace me.”
Suzanne kicked them off.
Detective Cole asked her to surrender her phone.
She hesitated, then handed it over.
Derek refused.
The detective informed him that a warrant was being prepared based on the forged documents and suspicious transfers.
Derek looked around the apartment as though searching for someone he could still intimidate.
His gaze settled on Skylar.
“You won’t survive without me.”
Months earlier, those words would have destroyed her.
Now they sounded almost pathetic.
Skylar met his eyes.
“I survived you.”
Derek moved toward her.
Lieutenant Hayes blocked him immediately.
“Do not take another step.”
Derek stopped.
His shoulders dropped.
His power had always depended on privacy.
Closed doors.
Deleted messages.
A wife too ashamed to speak.
Now the doors were open.
The officers were watching.
The documents existed.
And Skylar was no longer protecting him.
Detective Cole received a message and quietly showed the screen to Lieutenant Hayes.
Hayes nodded.
Then he turned to Derek.
“Place your hands behind your back.”
May you like
Derek’s face went blank.
👉 The assault had finally cost Derek his freedom—but the financial evidence would determine whether he ever recovered the life he built with Skylar’s money.
