Chapter 7
“It wasn’t me!” Delaney screamed, frantically trying to rip her arm from Arthur’s grasp. “It was him! Marcus gave me the vials! He told me it would just make her weak so she would sign the papers!”
Marcus struck the marble floor with his cane. “Shut your mouth, you stupid girl!”
The elegant façade of the billionaire’s engagement party had entirely collapsed into a crime scene.
Nathan moved so fast I barely saw him cross the room. He grabbed Marcus by the lapels of his expensive charcoal suit and slammed him against the mahogany wall.
The silver cane clattered to the floor.
“You murdered the mother of my child,” Nathan snarled, his forearm pressed against Marcus’s throat. “You poisoned your own daughter for a piece of real estate.”
Marcus gagged, his face turning purple. “She... owed... me. I gave her life!”
“And I am going to end yours,” Nathan said, his grip tightening.
“Nathan, stop!” I yelled, rushing forward. I grabbed his shoulder. “If you kill him, you go to prison! Sophie needs you. Do not let this monster take you away from her too!”
Nathan froze. He looked over his shoulder at Sophie, who was clutching my leg, terrified by the violence.
Nathan took a ragged breath and released Marcus, who crumpled to the floor, coughing violently.
“Call the police,” Nathan ordered his security guards. “Lock down the estate. Nobody leaves.”
As the guards moved to secure Delaney and Marcus, a loud crash echoed from the front hallway.
The young courier, who had been forgotten in the chaos, suddenly bolted for the front door.
He hadn’t come for the dress. He had come to ensure the flash drive was destroyed with it.
“Stop him!” Nathan shouted.
A guard lunged, but the courier was fast. He sprinted through the open front doors into the dark Chicago night.
Nathan turned back to Marcus, who was leaning against the wall, laughing a wet, hacking laugh.
“You think this is over?” Marcus wheezed, wiping spit from his chin. “You think Delaney and I orchestrated this alone? We needed inside access, Nathan. We needed someone who could forge the estate lawyer’s seals on those fake deeds.”
Nathan’s eyes narrowed. “Who?”
Marcus smiled, his teeth stained with blood from biting his lip.
“Why don’t you ask your beloved uncle Arthur?”
Every head in the room turned toward the retired judge.
Arthur Sterling stood frozen, still holding Delaney’s arm. His face was entirely unreadable.
“Arthur?” Nathan asked, confusion warring with the rage. “What is he talking about?”
Arthur slowly released Delaney. He adjusted his glasses, completely calm amidst the hysteria.
“He’s lying, Nathan,” Arthur said smoothly. “The man is a cornered rat saying anything to distract you.”
But Delaney backed away from Arthur, rubbing her bruised arm.
“He isn’t lying,” Delaney whispered, pointing a shaking finger at Arthur. “Arthur is the one who hired Marcus. Arthur was the one who told us Rebecca was hiding something in the cedar room. He’s the reason I cut up the dress... I was looking for the drive.”
“Why?” Nathan asked, his voice breaking. He had trusted Arthur like a father since his own passed away.
Arthur sighed, a long, tired sound. He reached into his tuxedo jacket.
For a terrifying second, I thought he was reaching for a weapon.
May you like
Instead, he pulled out a small, silver key.
“Because, Nathan,” Arthur said coldly. “Your father left the majority of the Sterling company shares to Rebecca when he died. Not to you. And certainly not to me.”
