Chapter 4 - Blood and Marble
"Give me the decryption keys, Claire," Evan demanded, his voice shaking with a pathetic mixture of fear and greed.
I stared at the man I had loved for three years, feeling absolutely nothing but burning hatred.
"You married me just to monitor the attorney general's office," I realized, the horrific truth finally settling in my mind.
"I married you because the syndicate needed an inside source, and you were a lonely, easily manipulated accountant," he sneered.
His words felt like physical blows, but they also extinguished any remaining hesitation I had about destroying his life.
Another agonizing contraction ripped through me, but I forced myself to stand entirely straight.
"The keys are synchronized to my biometrics, Evan," I lied smoothly, maintaining intense eye contact.
"If you kill me, the syndicate loses half a billion dollars, and Julian will skin you alive."
Evan hesitated, his grip on the heavy iron wrench loosening just a fraction of an inch.
In that split second, I drove the heel of my shoe directly into his shin with devastating force.
He dropped the wrench with a loud cry, stumbling backward against the catering racks.
I pushed past him and threw open the swinging double doors leading into the main ballroom.
The scene before me was absolute chaos.
The crystal chandeliers flickered ominously as chemical foam and freezing water poured from the ceiling.
Wealthy socialites in ruined designer gowns were slipping on the wet marble, screaming in total panic.
Victoria Bellacourt stood on the elevated stage, completely soaked and shrieking orders into a dead microphone.
When she saw me emerge from the service doors, her face twisted into a mask of pure demonic fury.
"Security!" Victoria bellowed, pointing a manicured finger directly at me.
"That insane woman is trying to ruin my daughter's wedding!"
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Four armed men dressed as catering staff immediately dropped their silver serving trays and reached beneath their vests.
Before they could draw their weapons, the massive glass windows of the ballroom shattered simultaneously.
