Chapter 6 - The Man in the Suit
The wind howled through the rusted girders of the abandoned mill, carrying the distant sound of highway traffic. Leo pressed his back against the cold metal wall, holding his breath as Arthur Sterling tossed the manila folder onto the hood of Marcus's car.
"You're playing a dangerous game, Marcus," Sterling said, his voice smooth, controlled, and chillingly polite. "Stirring up old federal cases from a decade ago won't help Sarah. In fact, it only guarantees that she serves maximum time."
"She didn't steal that money, Arthur, and you damn well know it," Marcus shot back, his voice shaking with suppressed rage. "You planted those wire transfers just like you fabricated the evidence in Chicago ten years ago! You have a pathological obsession with destroying her!"
Sterling chuckled softly, a dry, humorless sound. "Obsession? No, Marcus. It’s about accountability. Sarah walked away from a multi-million-dollar fraud investigation because her naive little boyfriend at the time took the fall for her. I’m simply finishing what I started. And if you interfere with my senate campaign by dragging my name through the mud with that brat's viral stunt, you'll find yourself sharing a cell with her."
Leo’s eyes widened in horror. Boyfriend? His mother had never mentioned anyone taking the fall for her. Was Sterling lying, or was there another dark secret buried in her past?
Marcus lunged forward, grabbing Sterling by the lapels of his expensive suit. "You son of a bitch! I'll ruin you!"
Before Marcus could land a punch, two men in dark tactical gear stepped out from the shadows of the loading dock, instantly pinning Marcus’s arms behind his back and slamming him against the car hood. Sterling calmly adjusted his tie, smoothing the fabric with immaculate care.
"Control your temper, Marcus. It’s unbecoming," Sterling said coldly, walking over to the driver's side of the car and pulling out Marcus's phone. With a swift motion, he smashed it beneath his leather shoe. "Tell your nephew to delete his social media accounts. Tell him to shut his mouth. Because the next warning won't come through a window."
Sterling turned and walked toward a sleek black SUV parked at the edge of the lot, his guards shoving Marcus aside before following him into the vehicle. The SUV roared to life and sped away into the night.
Marcus slumped against his car, coughing in the cold air. Leo stepped out from the shadows, running toward him. "Uncle Marcus! Are you okay?"
Marcus whipped around, his eyes wild with fear. "Leo! What are you doing here? I told you to stay home!"
"I heard everything," Leo said, his voice trembling. "Who was the boyfriend, Marcus? Who took the fall for Mom in Chicago?"
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Marcus stared at the boy, his expression turning pale as a ghost. "It... it was your father, Leo. The man you thought died in a car crash before you were born."
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