Chapter 10 - The Marriage Was Part of the Plan
I met Mark at a federal building with attorneys present.
No private conversation.
No manipulation.
No second chances.
He looked older.
Tired.
His confidence had started cracking.
I placed the printed email on the table.
He looked at it.
Then at me.
“Where did you get that?”
“So it’s real.”
He leaned back.
“Anna—”
“Was our marriage ever real?”
His expression changed.
That question landed harder than any accusation.
“Of course it was.”
“Then explain the email.”
“I knew Voss before you.”
“That isn’t an explanation.”
“He introduced us.”
My stomach tightened.
I had always believed Mark and I met accidentally at a charity dinner.
“You were sent there.”
“At first.”
Two words.
At first.
I felt something inside me break.
Mark leaned forward.
“I was supposed to get close to you.”
I said nothing.
“But then I fell in love with you.”
“Stop.”
“It’s true.”
“You married me because Charles Voss wanted access to my family.”
“At the beginning, yes.”
I stared at him.
“And Grace?”
His face collapsed.
“Don’t.”
“Was she part of the plan too?”
“No.”
“Answer me.”
“No!”
His voice rose.
Then he lowered it.
“No. Grace was never part of anything.”
I believed that much.
Not because Mark deserved trust.
Because pain had finally entered his face.
“I wanted out,” he said.
“When?”
“After we married.”
“Then why didn’t you leave Voss?”
“Because he owned Sterling Ridge’s debt.”
There it was.
Money again.
Always money.
“He threatened you?”
“He threatened to expose everything.”
“And instead of telling me…”
I swallowed.
“You stole from me.”
Mark looked down.
“Yes.”
“You cheated.”
“Yes.”
“You photographed my documents.”
“Yes.”
“You tried to take control of my family company.”
His voice was almost gone.
“Yes.”
I stood.
He looked up.
“Anna, please.”
“No.”
“I can help you bring Voss down.”
I paused.
That was different.
“What do you know?”
Mark looked toward the observation window.
Then back at me.
“Your father didn’t lose the evidence.”
My heart stopped.
“What?”
“He hid it.”
“Where?”
May you like
Mark leaned forward.
“Inside something you’ve had since you were nineteen.”
