Chapter 14 - The Hammer of Justice: Sentenced and Stripped
Two weeks after the sentencing, the final legal dust settled.
With the federal restitution orders in place, the United States Marshals Service conducted a public asset forfeiture auction. Diane’s remaining designer jewelry, her luxury handbags, and Grant’s commercial equipment were liquidated on the courthouse steps.
Every single penny of the $186,000 fraudulent HELOC was fully repaid to First Citizens Bank. The forged deed of trust was officially expunged from the Wake County public registry by court order, restoring the title of Oakmont Lane to its pure, unblemished historical status.
I stood in the clerk’s office at the Wake County Courthouse, holding the certified, gold-stamped deed in my hands.
“Owner: Natalie Vance. Sole Proprietor in Bloodline Trust.”
Beside me stood Detective Sarah Hayes, smiling broadly.
“How does it feel, Natalie?” Sarah asked, buying me a coffee from the lobby kiosk.
“It feels like breathing fresh air after being submerged underwater for four years,” I replied, looking down at the document. “Grant and Diane wanted to erase my name. Instead, they erased themselves.”
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“Grant was transferred to West Virginia yesterday morning,” Sarah informed me. “And Diane is on a transport bus to Kentucky. They will have a very long time to think about what they did at that military ball.”
“I don't care where they are, Sarah,” I said, feeling a weight lift completely from my shoulders. “They are part of the past now. My life begins today.”
