Chapter 8 - The Shadow in the Corridor
It wasn't Marcus.
The man standing in our way wore an immaculate gray bespoke suit, his silver-threaded hair neatly brushed, and a cold, polite smile resting on his lips. I recognized him instantly from the high-stakes financial circles in Boston—Victor Vance, Chloe’s uncle and the primary venture backer behind several of Marcus’s failing subsidiary shell companies.
"Leaving so soon, Mrs. Rhodes?" Victor asked, his voice smooth and carrying an oily, mocking cadence. "The night is still young, and your husband’s corporate victory party is just getting started."
Julian stepped in front of me and Emma, his shoulders squaring off as he locked eyes with Victor. "Get out of our way, Victor. This isn't a conversation you want to have."
Victor chuckled softly, adjusting the cuffs of his shirt. "Oh, I think it is, Julian. After all, your brilliant wife just signed away the core patents of Mercer Tech, effectively bankrupting my primary investment portfolio. I figured the least I could do was offer a personal congratulations."
"You financed Marcus's fraudulent grant applications," I said, stepping past Julian's shoulder, my voice dropping into a sharp, accusatory register. "You knew he was using government subsidies to prop up your shell companies."
Victor’s smile didn't waver, but his eyes turned glacial. "Business is a ruthless game, Evelyn. People get caught in the crossfire. Speaking of crossfire..." He glanced pointedly at Emma resting in Julian's arms. "...it would be an absolute tragedy if an innocent little girl got caught in the wreckage of a bitter financial war."
The blood rushed in my ears. The anonymous text message. The timing. It was all connected.
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"If you or anyone connected to you touches my daughter," Julian whispered, his voice dropping into a terrifying, lethal register that made even Victor flinch, "I won't just ruin your portfolio. I will dismantle every asset your family owns down to the last brick, and I will ensure you spend the rest of your natural life behind bars."
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