Chapter 2 - Shadows in the Hallway
The heavy oak door swung wide, revealing Marcus standing in the threshold. His tailored tuxedo was rumpled, his tie loosened, and his eyes darted frantically around the room before locking onto Elena.
“Don’t listen to a single word he says,” Marcus shouted, his voice echoing off the marble floors as he rushed toward the table.
“Julian is setting me up to cover his own tracks.”
Elena scrambled to her feet, clutching the leather folder to her chest like a shield.
“Stay back, Marcus! Don't you dare come near me until you explain what is inside this dossier.”
Julian didn't flinch as Marcus closed the distance, raising a fist in a sudden burst of rage. Several groomsmen stepped forward instantly, pinning Marcus’s arms behind his back before he could lunge across the table.
“You ruin everything, Julian!” Marcus spat, veins bulging in his neck.
“You always have to be the savior, don't you?”
Elena stared at the man she had promised to love forever, realizing she didn't know him at all.
“Marcus, look at me. Are these numbers real? Did you steal from the charity fund?”
Marcus stopped struggling, his shoulders slumping as he stared down at the polished floor.
“It was supposed to be a loan,” he muttered, his voice barely a whisper.
“A temporary fix to keep the firm afloat after the market crash last quarter. Everyone does it.”
Julian scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Not like this, Marcus. You didn't borrow from a bank; you drained the retirement funds of fifty families who trusted you implicitly.”
Elena felt the room spinning around her. The white strapless dress felt heavier by the second. She set the folder down with a sharp thud.
“I am walking out of this building right now,” Elena declared, turning her back on both of them.
“And don't either of you ever try to contact me again.”
She took three steps toward the exit before Marcus screamed out a warning that stopped her dead in her tracks.
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“If you walk out those doors tonight, Elena, the people I borrowed from won't just come after me. They know everything about your family’s estate.”
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