Chapter 5 - The Architect's Betrayal
Marcus had supposedly died in a tragic car accident four years ago.
Jack had paid for his funeral and delivered a tearful eulogy for his best friend.
"You look like you have seen a ghost, Jack," Marcus sneered, his eyes filled with absolute venom.
"How are you alive?" Jack whispered, his mind struggling to process the impossible betrayal.
Marcus paced around the tied-up, sobbing Sarah like a predatory wolf.
"Faking my death was the only way to escape the massive debts I owed the syndicate."
Marcus explained that he had watched Jack build a billion-dollar empire while he lost everything.
Jealousy and greed had slowly consumed him until he decided to take the one thing Jack loved most.
"You kidnapped Callie just to hurt me?" Jack asked, his voice trembling with raw, unrestrained fury.
"I kidnapped her to sell her back to you, but then I realized making you suffer was much more satisfying."
Marcus pointed a heavy revolver at Sarah's head.
"This pathetic woman bought the kid from my associates because her own daughter died, but she failed to keep her hidden."
Sarah sobbed loudly, looking at Jack with desperate, pleading eyes.
"I just wanted to be a mother again," she cried out.
"Where is Callie right now, Marcus?" Jack demanded, holding up the encrypted drive containing the money.
Marcus smiled greedily and snatched the drive from Jack's hand.
"She is currently locked in a cargo container on a freighter heading for international waters."
Jack felt a wave of absolute dread wash over him.
"You have the money, now tell me which ship she is on!" Jack yelled.
Marcus pocketed the drive and slowly raised his revolver to aim directly between Jack's eyes.
May you like
"I think it is time you joined your dead wife, Jack."
Before Marcus could pull the trigger, the entire warehouse was plunged into pitch-black darkness.
