Chapter 3
Returning to the main reception hall, Chloe scanned the sea of smiling faces, searching for anyone who looked out of place. The wedding guests were gathered around the towering four-tier wedding cake, holding flutes of champagne and chatting animatedly. Julian stood beside his new bride, holding the ceremonial silver knife with a grin, though his sharp eyes briefly locked onto Chloe as she re-entered the room. There was a calculating intelligence behind Julian’s gaze that often went unnoticed by others, a trait that had built his successful career in corporate restructuring. He knew something was bothering Chloe, and his relaxed demeanor hid a keen investigative instinct. Before the first slice of cake could be served, the heavy double doors at the opposite end of the ballroom slowly creaked open, drawing the attention of the nearest tables. A tall, unfamiliar man in a charcoal suit stepped into the warm light, holding a thick manila envelope tucked neatly under his arm.
The stranger moved with deliberate, unhurried steps, bypassing the empty seating area and heading straight toward the head table where Clara and Julian stood. A hush fell over the immediate vicinity as people realized this man was not on the official guest list. Julian’s posture instantly stiffened, the playful groom vanishing to reveal a watchful protector. Chloe felt the blood drain entirely from her face; she recognized the man immediately. It was Marcus, a private investigator she had hired months ago to look into the shady financial dealings of Julian’s previous business venture—investigations she had abruptly tried to cancel when things became too dangerous. Marcus didn't look like a wedding crasher; he looked like a professional deliveryman executing a final, irrevocable contract. As Marcus stepped up to the edge of the elevated stage, he locked eyes not with Julian, but directly with Chloe, raising the manila envelope slightly as if presenting a sacrificial offering to the maid of honor.
