Chapter 3 - THE MAN AT THE DOOR
Everyone turned.
The chapel doors opened before anyone could move.
A tall man in a charcoal jacket walked inside.
He looked to be in his early forties.
Tired eyes.
Unshaven face.
A scar along his left eyebrow.
He carried a worn brown folder.
Vanessa backed away.
“No.”
The man stopped just inside the chapel.
His eyes found her.
“Hello, Vanessa.”
Daniel looked between them.
“You know him?”
Vanessa said nothing.
The stranger gave a humorless smile.
“You must be Daniel.”
“Who are you?”
“My name is Thomas Blake.”
Vanessa’s breathing became shallow.
Daniel heard Rachel whisper, “Blake?”
Same last name.
Thomas lifted the folder.
“I’m Vanessa’s husband.”
The words hit harder than the video.
Daniel stared at Vanessa.
She shook her head.
“No. He’s lying.”
Thomas opened the folder.
“This is an original certified marriage record from Clark County, Nevada. Filed six years ago.”
Daniel took it.
His hands shook.
Vanessa Blake.
Thomas Blake.
Married.
No divorce listed.
Daniel looked up.
“You told me your first marriage ended.”
“It did.”
“When?”
“Years ago.”
Thomas laughed.
“That’s news to me.”
Vanessa screamed, “Shut up!”
The chapel went silent.
Thomas looked at her.
“You disappeared.”
“You were dangerous.”
“I was broke, Vanessa. Not dangerous.”
“You threatened me.”
“I threatened to tell people what you did.”
Daniel’s head snapped up.
“What did she do?”
Vanessa rushed toward him.
“Don’t listen to him.”
Thomas pointed at Eric.
“Ask your brother.”
Eric’s mouth tightened.
Daniel felt dizzy.
“My brother?”
Thomas walked farther inside.
“He knew I existed.”
Daniel turned toward Eric.
“Is that true?”
Eric didn’t answer.
“Eric.”
Still nothing.
“ANSWER ME!”
“Yes.”
Daniel took one step toward him.
“You knew?”
Eric exhaled.
“I knew there was some guy.”
“Some guy?”
“I didn’t know they were still legally married.”
Thomas laughed.
“That’s funny, considering you paid me thirty thousand dollars to stay away from this wedding.”
Gasps broke out.
Daniel stared at his brother.
“You paid him?”
Eric’s face hardened.
Thomas pulled a bank receipt from the folder.
“Wire transfer. Three weeks ago.”
Daniel took the paper.
The sender was an LLC.
But he recognized the name.
E.H. Consulting.
Eric Harrison Carter.
His brother’s company.
“You son of a bitch.”
Eric stepped closer.
“Danny—”
Daniel punched him.
The sound cracked through the chapel.
Eric hit the floor.
Daniel’s mother screamed.
Mia jumped.
Rachel rushed to her.
Daniel stood over his brother.
“All these years.”
Blood appeared at the corner of Eric’s mouth.
“All these years I trusted you.”
Eric wiped his lip.
“Yeah.”
Daniel stared.
Eric smiled.
“That was your first mistake.”
Then he stood.
Calmly.
Too calmly.
He walked to the chapel doors.
Closed them.
And turned the lock.
Click.
Daniel frowned.
“What are you doing?”
Eric reached into the inside pocket of his tuxedo jacket.
Mia whimpered.
For one terrifying second, everyone thought he might pull out a gun.
He didn’t.
He pulled out a stack of legal documents.
Eric laid them on a nearby table.
“Now,” he said, “we’re going to finish what we came here to do.”
Daniel stared at the papers.
His company logo was printed across the top.
CARTER AEROSPACE SYSTEMS.
Eric pointed at the signature line.
“You’re going to sign.”
Daniel almost laughed.
“Go to hell.”
Eric’s smile vanished.
“No, Danny.”
May you like
He looked at Mia.
“You’re going to sign because I finally found the one thing you care about more than that company.”
