Chapter 3 - The Accomplice
Marcus stepped fully into the living room, completely ignoring the shocked and betrayed look on David's face.
"I am truly sorry it had to end this way, old friend," Marcus said with a sickeningly polite tone.
David could not comprehend how a man he had known for twenty years could be involved in this nightmare.
"You helped her orchestrate all of this?" David asked, his voice cracking with pure disbelief.
Marcus casually tossed the heavy roll of silver duct tape onto the glass coffee table.
He explained that David's massive tech empire was simply too valuable to leave in the hands of a single man.
Vanessa and Marcus had been secretly having a passionate affair for the past two years behind his back.
They had meticulously planned to stage a horrific murder-suicide to completely take over his billion-dollar company.
"Tie him to the chair, Marcus, we do not have much time before dawn," Vanessa commanded sharply.
Marcus pulled a second handgun from his tailored suit and aimed it directly at David.
He ordered David to sit down in the heavy leather armchair located in the center of the room.
David desperately calculated his odds of fighting back, but he knew he could not risk Sophie getting caught in the crossfire.
He slowly sat down in the leather chair, pulling his trembling daughter tightly onto his lap.
"The little girl has to go into the basement, David, she cannot be part of the crime scene," Marcus stated coldly.
David tightened his grip on Sophie, absolutely refusing to let them take his child away.
Marcus stepped forward and violently struck David across the jaw with the heavy butt of his pistol.
David's vision flashed white as a terrible, blinding pain exploded across his face.
He slumped sideways in the chair, completely unable to stop Marcus from ripping Sophie out of his arms.
Sophie screamed and kicked wildly as the corrupt lawyer dragged her toward the basement door.
Vanessa quickly bound David's wrists and ankles tightly to the heavy chair with the thick duct tape.
"Do not worry, darling, I will make sure your official obituary is beautifully written," Vanessa mocked cruelly.
She turned her back to him and walked toward the kitchen to fetch the gasoline they needed for the staged fire.
David shook his head to clear the dizziness and noticed a small, shattered piece of glass on the floor near his boot.
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It was a sharp, jagged shard from a picture frame that Marcus had knocked over during the struggle.
David carefully stretched his bound foot forward, desperately trying to drag the sharp glass closer to his tied hands.
