His Perfect Scapegoat

Chapter 3: The Rejection

Betty’s POV

The delicate serenity I had managed to maintain throughout the morning was broken by the sudden knock on the door. It opened before I could respond, presenting a suit-wearing, stern-faced woman flanked by two officers.

"Anderson, Betty? There was no space for debate in the woman's tone as she inquired.

With my stomach in knots, I nodded. Yes, I am that person. What is this about?"

She stepped aside as the officers drew closer and remarked sharply, "You're under arrest for fraud and embezzlement."

"What? I staggered back in shock. "This has to be an error. I took no action!"

They paid no attention. The cold steel of the handcuffs cut into my wrists as the officers escorted me out of the house. Reporters crowded the driveway as flashbulbs blasted in my face.

"Mrs. Would you like to comment on the accusations, Anderson?"

Was it true that you embezzled millions from your husband's business?"

Is this the reason for your divorce from Justin?"

They ask savage inquiries. I kept my head down, hoping the ground would take me whole, my cheeks burning with shame.

Tears ran down my cheeks in the police car. How could my life have fallen apart so fast? I kept thinking about Justin's betrayal, each time feeling more agonizing than the last. I had put my trust in him. Cherished him. He had also ruined me.

The longest night of my life was that one in the little, chilly cell. The darkness weighed down on me like a stifling weight, and the thin mattress provided little relief. I gazed at the ceiling, repeating every sarcastic utterance and contemptuous look.

"Justin, why? I muttered into the silence. "Why would you harm me in this way?"

I was taken to court early the following morning. I passed past the people in shackles, and it hurt to hear their harsh whispers and piercing gazes. As I sat down, my eyes searching the room for any glimmer of hope, my heart thumping.

Justin wasn't present. He wasn't, of course. I was dealing with the consequences of his lies, and he was likely sitting in his office, smug and untouchable.

I was quickly portrayed by the prosecution as a cunning, avaricious woman who had betrayed her husband and his business. Every word pierced my chest like a dagger.

However, the doors at the rear of the courtroom suddenly opened just as I was about to give up. As my estranged family entered, gasps echoed through the gathering. Richard Caldwell, my father, commanded the room as he strode forward.

“Your Honor,” he announced, his voice firm and steady, “I have evidence that will exonerate my daughter.”

I was so shocked by what I was hearing that I froze. My dad? The guy I hadn't heard from in years?

My father handed over a large file when the judge nodded. This includes documents that demonstrate Justin Anderson and his associates were responsible for the fraudulent activities. My daughter is not guilty.

As the evidence was examined, the prosecutor's face became white. The room swarmed with murmured supposition, but I could only stare at my father, my heart a flurry of emotions.

When the judge finally ruled me innocent, relief poured over me like a tidal wave. Tears obscured my vision as I was uncuffed and permitted to leave the courtroom.

Outside, my father approached me. “Betty,” he whispered, his countenance opaque.

"Why?” I choked out, my voice trembling. "Why now?"

His eyes grew softer. You are my daughter, that's why. And I will not allow anyone to ruin you, regardless of what has transpired between us.

The rage that was building inside of me kept me steady as I stood outside Justin's office that evening. I had to see him, to face the man who had attempted to destroy me.

His secretary hesitated when she saw me. “Mrs. He's at a meeting, Anderson—

I pushed past her and threw open the door, saying, "Not anymore."

After a moment of surprise, Justin's expression changed to one of displeasure. "Betty. I owe this incursion to what?"

My hands trembling with rage, I slammed the door behind me. "Justin, you attempted to ruin me. You assumed that I would accept responsibility for your transgressions.

With a sneer on his lips, he reclined in his chair. Nevertheless, here you are. Free. I suppose Daddy saved the day."

I growled, "You don't get to do this." "You don't have the right to frame me, betray me, and then act indefensibly."

He shrugged, utterly unfazed. "Betty, it's simply business. You wouldn’t understand.”

His nonchalance ignited something in me. With a low, lethal voice, I took a step closer. "Take note, Justin. You'll be sorry you did this. You'll experience what it's like to have someone you trusted turn on you one day.

His laugh was hollow and icy. "You can give it a shot."

My head was full of plans as I left the building. Justin couldn't win, in my opinion. I refused to let him ruin me.

My father and my siblings told me about their plans later that evening while we were sitting together.

“We’re going to make a public announcement,” my father remarked. "The world must understand that you are more than just Betty Anderson." You’re Betty Caldwell, heir to the Caldwell empire.”

Stunned, I gazed at him. "You'd help me with that?"

"Obviously," he answered. "It's time the world realized how valuable you are."

The headline, "Betty Caldwell Returns: A New Chapter for the Caldwell Legacy," went viral the following morning.

As reporters made conjectures about my abrupt ascent from shame to power, I watched the television with my heart racing. A mixture of shock and disbelief could be seen on Justin's face as it flashed on the screen.

I grinned for the first time in weeks. This was only the start.

I reclined on the soft couch in my father's study as the newscast aired, allowing the words to fully register.

After being exonerated of all charges, the daughter of the Caldwell empire is poised to regain her place in one of the most powerful families in the nation. The anchor declared, "This revelation has sent shockwaves through both business and social circles."

The video of Justin getting to his office was shown on the screen. He was surrounded by reporters with cameras and microphones pressed up against his face.

"Mr. Anderson, how do you respond to the claims that you framed your wife?"

“Was your company involved in the fraudulent activities Betty Caldwell was accused of?"

What impact will this have on your commercial relationships with Caldwell Enterprises?"

Justin ignored the flurry of inquiries and kept his head down, but I could see the tension in his eyes and the tightness in his jaw. He was no longer untouchable.

"Betty? My thoughts were interrupted by my father's voice.

Startled, I turned to face him. His face was unusually soft, and he had shifted to sit next to me.

He put a hand on my shoulder and murmured, "This is just the beginning." "Your life won't be easy to rebuild. However, you are no longer alone.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. "I'm grateful, Dad. For everything.

His eyes became even softer. “I failed you once, Betty. I won’t make that mistake again.”

The weight of his remarks brought tears to my eyes. I had carried the hurt of my family's abandonment for years, believing I was unworthy of them. For the first time in a long time, I felt a glimmer of optimism as my father stood by me.

But as I considered Justin and the extent of his treachery, my resolve became more determined. "I need to make sure he doesn't hurt anyone else the way he hurt me," I said steadily as I started, "Dad."

My dad's face grew serious. "He won't. We will use the power of the Caldwell name to make sure he is held accountable for his deeds.

My siblings entered the study as the door opened. Matthew, my older brother, gave me a determined and proud gaze.

“We’ve got your back, Betty,” he said. We will do everything it takes to defeat him.

Amelia, my younger sister, gave a nod. This goes beyond simple retaliation. It has to do with fairness. He believed he could ruin you and escape with no harm. He underestimated you, Betty.”

I took a deep breath as their words made me more determined. Even though Justin had exhausted his options, the game was far from over. By no means.

As the evening went on, we planned how to reveal all of Justin's shady dealings and make sure that everyone saw him for who he really was.

Exhaustion threatened to overwhelm me by the time I got back to my room, but my mind refused to stop. The bruises from the previous few days were visible in my tired eyes and hollow cheeks as I gazed at my image in the mirror.

I said to myself in a whisper, "You're stronger than this." "You've made it through worse."

My father was waiting for me when I left my room the following morning, holding a little velvet box.

"What is this? Confused, I asked.

With a slight smile, he gave it to me. "A reminder of your identity."

A delicate gold bracelet with the Caldwell family crest engraved on it was inside. A lump formed in my throat at the sight of it.

My father remarked, "You are part of something greater than Justin Anderson's schemes." "Remember that always."

As I slipped the bracelet onto my wrist, a sense of purpose settled over me. There was no sign of the woman Justin had abandoned and betrayed. In her place stood someone stronger, someone ready to fight for her dignity and her future.

Later that morning, the press was already assembled outside the home when I departed. They asked a lot of questions, but I remained composed and walked right by them without saying anything.

“Betty Caldwell!” one reporter called out. "What will you do next?"

I stopped and looked at the throng. “To reclaim what’s mine,” I said firmly before climbing into the waiting automobile.

As we drove away, my phone buzzed with a message. It was from Justin.

“You’ll regret this, Betty. You’re playing a game you can’t win.”

I glanced at the television, a bitter smile growing on my lips.

“Oh, Justin,” I whispered. “You have no idea who you’re dealing with.”