Chapter 8 - Room 1814
I did not go alone.
I let Serena think I did.
Tasha stayed one floor below with the detective. Dad remained with the EMT. Marcus was told not to follow me.
Naturally, he followed me.
I saw his reflection in the elevator mirror when the doors started to close.
I held up one finger.
"If you step into this elevator, I will scream so loudly every guest downstairs will know exactly why."
He stopped.
For once, he listened.
Room 1814 was at the end of a quiet hall.
I knocked.
Serena opened the door wearing a hotel robe over her silver dress.
Her makeup was gone from one eye. She looked exhausted.
"You brought police?"
"You brought a recording device to my wedding. We all make choices."
She stepped aside.
On the desk sat the recorder from the photo.
"The kiss was real," she said before I could ask. "Don't let him rewrite that. He kissed me back."
My throat tightened.
"Why?"
"Because Marcus thought I was about to expose his mother. He came up here to stop me. I told him I still loved him. I kissed him. He kissed me back."
"For evidence?"
"The conversation after it."
She pressed play.
Marcus's voice filled the room.
SERENA, PLEASE. JUST WAIT UNTIL MIDNIGHT.
Then Serena:
WHEN THE TRUST MONEY CLEARS?
Marcus:
WHEN THE COMPANY IS SAFE.
Serena:
AND THEN WHAT? YOU DUMP ME AND PLAY HUSBAND?
A long pause.
Then Marcus said:
I SHOULD HAVE ENDED THIS MONTHS AGO.
My eyes closed.
Serena stopped the recording.
"That's not all."
She opened the folder.
Inside were printed emails between Lorraine and Gavin.
They discussed forging my father's signature.
They discussed preparing a false board consent.
And they discussed something called "D contingency."
"What's that?" I asked.
Serena looked at me.
"You."
My stomach dropped.
She showed me another page.
If Danielle refuses to execute post-marital documents, proceed with D contingency through reputational leverage.
Attached beneath it was a photograph of me walking into a fertility clinic eight months earlier.
I went cold.
Nobody knew about that appointment except Marcus.
Not even my father.
Serena's voice softened.
"They planned to threaten you with your private medical information if you refused to sign."
I stared at the page until the words blurred.
Then the room phone rang.
Serena looked at it.
Neither of us moved.
It rang again.
She picked up.
May you like
A man's voice was loud enough for me to hear.
"Ms. Cole, you need to leave now. Gavin knows you copied the files."
