The Year I Stopped Being His novel Chapter 573

The next second, the door exploded inward with a deafening *CRASH*!

Splinters of wood and metal hardware flew across the room as a tactical SWAT unit poured in. Their black vests blazed with the word 'POLICE' in bright yellow, and every single rifle locked dead onto him.

"Sterling, don't move!" Two officers lunged forward, grabbing him by the shoulders and wrenching his arms violently behind his back.

His knees slammed into the edge of the mahogany side table, making it jolt. The porcelain teapot rolled, its lid flying off and shattering across the floor.

The dark red tea spilled across the wood, bleeding into the grain before dripping steadily onto his polished leather shoes.

The delicate bone china cup plummeted to the tiles, ringing out with a sharp, crisp shatter that echoed through the office before heavy combat boots stomped over it, grinding the porcelain into dust.

Wyatt Young stepped out from behind the officers, holding a pair of handcuffs.

*Clack.* The gleaming steel cuffs snapped shut around the wrists that had once wielded a scalpel countless times, wrists that had signed hundreds of honorary certificates.

"Lawrence Sterling, you are under arrest." Wyatt's voice was sharp as a blade.

"You have the right to remain silent, but anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. Charges include theft of classified state research, murder for hire, organ smuggling, and operating a criminal syndicate—and we have concrete evidence for every single one."

Sterling kept his head down, staring at the dark red puddle of tea on the floor.

The rich aroma of the tea still hung in the air, mixing now with the smell of dirt from the combat boots and cold gunmetal, creating a bizarre, pungent stench.

Slowly, he raised his head, looking left, then right. The doorway, the corridor, behind the SWAT team. His eyes scanned every face, as if searching for someone.

A disappointed smile touched his lips.