Chapter 7: Midnight Visitors
The heavy thud of heavy boots on the grand staircase grew louder, stopping abruptly just outside the guest suite door. Connor quickly slid the cream-colored paper into the inner pocket of his brown jacket, pressing his hand against his chest to ensure the document was secure. Clara stepped back toward the dark corner of the room, her hand resting protectively over her sleeping infant while her eyes remained fixed on the brass doorknob.
The door didn't turn; instead, three sharp, authoritative raps echoed through the room.
"Connor? Are you awake?" Marcus’s voice cut through the wood, sounding entirely too calm for the middle of the night.
Connor walked over and unlocked the door, pulling it open just wide enough to block Marcus’s entry. The attorney stood in the dimly lit hallway, wearing a rumpled suit jacket and holding a thick leather briefcase. His eyes darted past Connor, trying to catch a glimpse of the room behind him.
"It's two in the morning, Marcus," Connor said coldly, his body blocking the entrance. "What do you want?"
"I came to offer a professional courtesy," Marcus replied smoothly, adjusting his wire-rimmed glasses. "Helen is volatile right now. If you attempt to challenge the deed transfer in the morning without representation, she will ensure you and Clara are left with nothing—not even the clothes in your bags."
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"And I suppose you're here to offer your services?" Clara asked, stepping into the dim light of the doorway, her voice dripping with skepticism.
Marcus offered a thin, polite smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I'm here to offer a fair buyout. Sign the relinquishment forms tonight, and Helen will wire fifty thousand dollars to your account by dawn. Otherwise, you walk away with zero."
