Chapter 3 - The Contract
I instinctively pulled Sophie behind my legs to shield her from the stranger.
The man stepped into the dim light of the parking lot streetlamp.
He was wearing an expensive tailored suit that looked entirely out of place for a back-alley ambush.
"I assume you must be Marcus," I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the adrenaline surging through me.
Marcus let out a soft chuckle and folded the pocket knife away.
"Amanda always said you were a smart guy, just a little too trusting for your own good," he replied.
"Stay away from my daughter and let us walk away, or I am calling the police right now," I warned him.
Marcus shook his head slowly, looking almost amused by my threat.
"You can call the cops if you want, but it won't change the legal reality of your situation."
"You see, Daniel, you are already too late to stop the wheels we set in motion."
I narrowed my eyes, keeping a firm grip on the burner phone in my pocket.
"The wedding didn't happen, so Amanda gets absolutely nothing from me."
Marcus pulled a neatly folded piece of paper from his inside jacket pocket and held it up.
"Do you remember signing a massive stack of catering and floral contracts yesterday afternoon?" he asked.
A sickening feeling washed over my stomach as I recalled rushing through a pile of paperwork Amanda had shoved in front of me.
"Buried right in the middle of those vendor agreements was a legally binding power of attorney," Marcus explained.
"You granted Amanda full control over your real estate assets and your bank accounts."
My knees felt weak as the sheer scale of their betrayal finally became clear.
They hadn't just planned to marry me for my money; they had planned to strip me of everything regardless of the ceremony.
"That signature was obtained by fraud, and no judge will ever uphold it," I shot back, trying to sound confident.
"Maybe so, but by the time you prove that in court, your accounts will be empty and your house will be sold," Marcus smirked.
He took a step closer, his eyes shifting down to Sophie who was clinging to my pant leg.
"And once we prove you are an unfit father, we'll see who gets custody of the little heiress."
Before I could ask what he meant by that, the screeching of police sirens suddenly filled the air.
May you like
Blue and red lights flashed at the entrance of the church parking lot, speeding directly toward us.
Marcus grinned, pointed at me, and said, "Looks like Amanda beat you to the 911 call."
