Chapter 3 - The Secret in the Pocket
The heavy silence of the ballroom pressed down on Julian like a physical weight while Evelyn struggled for every ragged breath. Clara looked between her new husband and her gasping former roommate with frantic, uncomprehending eyes. The romantic fairy tale they had spent months planning was devolving into a psychological nightmare under the blinding glare of the crystal chandeliers.
“My pocket?” Julian repeated, his voice dangerously low as he kept his body positioned to block Clara’s view of the table. “What are you talking about, Evelyn? You brought this on yourself.”
“Julian, stop interrogating her and help her!” Clara pleaded, her hands trembling as she grabbed the back of Julian’s black suit jacket. “People are watching! Call emergency services!”
Before Julian could pull his phone from his trousers, a heavy hand gripped his shoulder from behind. It was Arthur, the venue manager, whose face was etched with grim professional concern.
“Mr. Vance, we have security footage of the table from the overhead rig,” Arthur murmured quietly into Julian’s ear, his eyes shifting meaningfully toward the shattered wine glass on the floor. “The police are already three minutes away. We saw everything that happened before the toast.”
Julian’s blood ran cold. The overhead security camera. In the rush of adrenaline and defensive instinct, he had completely forgotten about the modern surveillance systems rigged into the newly renovated ballroom ceiling. Every movement, from Evelyn sliding the syringe out of her pink dress to Julian’s slick swap of the two crystal goblets, had been recorded in high-definition detail.
“Did... did anyone else see it?” Julian whispered back, his throat tightening.
May you like
“Just me so far,” Arthur replied steadily, his gaze piercing. “And I want to know why your ex-girlfriend tried to poison your bride on live camera before I hand the footage directly to the arriving detectives.”
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