Chapter 2 - THE MAN ON THE SECOND FLOORI pushed Sophie behind me.
Amanda stood frozen beside the bridal-suite door.
“Who is Marcus?” I asked again.
She whispered, “I don't know.”
The voice from the hallway laughed softly.
Amanda flinched.
That told me everything I needed to know.
“You know him.”
“No.”
“You just said his name.”
“I panicked.”
The shadow beneath the door moved.
Then a man stepped into the hallway.
He wore a charcoal suit and a wedding-guest badge pinned discreetly to his lapel.
Mid-forties.
Dark hair.
No smile.
His eyes went immediately to the phone in my hand.
“You shouldn't have found that,” he said.
I pulled Sophie closer.
“Security!”
No one came.
I shouted louder.
“SECURITY!”
The man smiled.
“They won't hear you.”
I stared at him.
“What did you do?”
He reached into his jacket.
I grabbed Sophie and moved toward the stairwell.
Amanda suddenly stepped between us.
“Daniel, don't.”
I stopped.
“Move.”
“You need to listen to him.”
My chest tightened.
“You're on his side.”
“No.”
“You are.”
“I didn't know it would go this far.”
The man sighed.
“Amanda has always been emotional.”
I looked at him.
“What's your name?”
He adjusted his cuff.
“Marcus Hale.”
Sophie started crying again.
Marcus looked down at her.
“She's the reason we're here.”
Every muscle in my body tightened.
“What does that mean?”
He nodded toward the phone.
“You saw the documents.”
“I saw enough.”
“No. You saw the bait.”
“The what?”
Marcus smiled.
“The house was never the real objective.”
Before I could answer, footsteps thundered from the stairs.
I expected security.
Instead, a man in a waiter’s uniform appeared.
He pulled a small black case from under his tray and tossed it to Marcus.
Marcus caught it.
“Four minutes,” the waiter said.
Then he disappeared.
“What is happening?” I shouted.
Marcus opened the case.
Inside were two folders and a small medical syringe.
Sophie screamed.
I immediately pulled her farther back.
Marcus frowned.
“You're making this unnecessarily difficult.”
Amanda whispered, “We need to leave.”
“No,” I said.
“You're in danger.”
“You put me in danger.”
“You're already in danger.”
I looked at the syringe.
“What is that?”
Amanda covered her mouth.
Marcus answered.
“Sedative.”
My blood went cold.
“For who?”
He looked at Sophie.
“For anyone who needs to become cooperative.”
I lunged.
Marcus moved faster than expected.
He shoved me into the wall.
My shoulder hit hard.
Sophie screamed, “Daddy!”
I pushed myself upright.
Marcus had the syringe in his hand.
Then Amanda did something I didn't expect.
She grabbed his wrist.
“No.”
Marcus stared at her.
“Amanda.”
“No.”
“You knew the arrangement.”
“That wasn't part of it.”
He twisted free.
“You're changing your mind now?”
She looked at me.
Tears rolled down her face.
“I was supposed to marry him for the access.”
I froze.
“Marry who?”
Amanda shook her head.
“Not Marcus.”
“Then who?”
She didn't answer.
Marcus suddenly stepped backward.
A sharp electronic beep came from somewhere below.
His expression changed.
“They started early.”
“Who?”
“The buyers.”
My skin prickled.
“What buyers?”
He smiled.
“The people who already purchased your house.”
“That isn't possible.”
“Oh, it is.”
He pointed at the phone.
“Those bank documents were submitted yesterday.”
My stomach dropped.
“You forged my signature?”
“No.”
“Then whose signature?”
He looked directly at Amanda.
“Hers.”
Amanda whispered, “They made me sign.”
Marcus laughed.
“You volunteered.”
I looked at the clock.
3:53.
Seven minutes until the ceremony.
Seven minutes until the signature he kept talking about.
Seven minutes until a wedding that was apparently part of a financial trap.
I grabbed Sophie.
“We're leaving.”
Marcus blocked the staircase.
“Too late.”
The ballroom doors below suddenly slammed shut.
Guests began shouting.
Then every light in the venue went off.
Darkness swallowed the building.
A moment later, a projector flickered to life on the ballroom wall.
A document appeared.
My house deed.
Underneath it was a red stamp.
TRANSFER PENDING
Sophie whispered against my chest.
“Daddy…”
I looked down.
She was staring at the phone.
A new message had appeared.
THE CEREMONY ISN'T FOR THE MARRIAGE.
Then another.
IT'S FOR THE SIGNATURE.
And then a final message.
KEEP THE GIRL ALIVE UNTIL HE SIGNS.
I looked at Amanda.
She was crying.
But Marcus wasn't.
May you like
He was smiling.
Because whatever was happening downstairs had already begun.
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