Chapter 5
The threat hung in the cool evening air, dense and suffocating. Julian stared at the dead phone screen for a long, agonizing moment, his mind racing through impossible scenarios. Thirty minutes. If he went back inside and played along with Elena’s game, he would be walking directly back into the lion’s den without a weapon. But if he drove home now, the caller had made it chillingly clear that centuries of irreplaceable family history would be reduced to ash. He lowered his gaze to look at Lily, who was watching him with an intuition far beyond her six years.
"We aren't going to sign the papers, right Daddy?" Lily asked quietly, her blue eyes reflecting the distant amber lights of the parking structure.
"Never," Julian whispered fiercely, dropping to one knee to look her directly in the eyes. "Listen to me very carefully, Lily. I need you to stay in the security office with Uncle Marcus. Do not talk to anyone, do not open the door for anyone except me. Do you understand?"
Before Lily could voice her protests, a sleek black sedan screeched into the parking bay directly beside them. The passenger side door flew open, and Marcus, Julian’s oldest and most trusted childhood friend, stepped out wearing a casual dark jacket over his wedding guest attire. Marcus took in the tense scene in a single glance, his eyes locking onto Julian with an unspoken understanding.
"I saw the security alerts on my phone," Marcus said grimly, stepping forward to take Lily’s small hand gently. "I’ve got her, Julian. Go."
Julian nodded once, a silent gesture of profound gratitude passing between the two men. He handed Marcus his car keys and his encrypted backup drive before turning back toward the grand entrance of the country club. He was not going back to sign papers; he was going back to confront Elena face-to-face and catch her in the act of orchestrating the arson threat.
He strode purposefully through the service corridors, slipping back into the main building unnoticed by the gathering crowd of confused wedding guests. The music in the ballroom had stopped entirely, replaced by nervous whispers and anxious speculation about where the bride and groom had vanished to. Julian ignored the chatter, marching straight toward the second-floor bridal suite with single-minded focus.
When he reached the heavy mahogany door, he found it slightly ajar. Warm amber light spilled out into the dim hallway, accompanied by the low, urgent murmur of a hushed phone conversation. Julian crept silently forward, pressing his back against the cool wall beside the doorframe. He peered cautiously into the room.
May you like
Elena stood by the open window, holding a burner phone tightly to her ear, her white wedding gown sweeping across the floor.
"Yes, torch the east wing first," Elena hissed furiously into the phone, her voice dripping with venom. "Make sure nothing is left to salvage before the police arrive."
