Chapter 8 - RUNNING
I saw her move.
Nobody else did.
Vanessa took one step backward.
Then another.
Her eyes stayed on Harrison.
I leaned toward Dana.
“She’s leaving.”
Dana looked.
“Damn.”
Vanessa turned.
I moved before I thought.
“Vanessa.”
She stopped.
The room looked at us again.
Her smile came back.
Weak.
“Yes?”
“Where are you going?”
“The restroom.”
Dana laughed.
“Wrong direction.”
Vanessa’s face hardened.
Marcus finally moved.
“Leave her alone.”
Dana stepped forward.
“Actually, she needs to stay.”
Vanessa looked at Harrison.
“Am I under arrest?”
“No,” Harrison said.
“Then move.”
She started toward the door again.
A man in a dark suit stepped into her path.
Federal badge.
The room erupted in whispers.
Vanessa stopped so fast she almost stumbled.
The man said, “Ms. Hale, we need to speak with you.”
Marcus looked at Harrison.
“You brought federal agents to my gala?”
Harrison’s face was stone.
“No. Your transactions did.”
Marcus’s mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Vanessa spun toward him.
“You said this was handled.”
The room went silent again.
Marcus stared at her.
“Shut up.”
Her eyes widened.
“You said—”
“Vanessa.”
“Don’t tell me to shut up.”
The agent raised a hand.
“Both of you need to remain calm.”
Harrison stepped away from the microphone.
“This does not need to become physical.”
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“Physical? You ambushed me.”
“You approved unauthorized transfers.”
“They were consulting payments.”
“To a company owned by Vanessa’s brother.”
Vanessa turned on Marcus.
“You told me those were approved.”
He whispered, “Stop talking.”
I stood frozen.
Part of me had waited months to see Marcus exposed.
But watching it happen didn’t feel triumphant.
It felt ugly.
Human.
Terrifying.
Because beneath the tuxedo and arrogance, he suddenly looked like the man I had once loved.
And that made it worse.
Harrison continued.
“The board has also received evidence concerning the proposed sale of the Advanced Materials Division.”
Marcus’s head snapped up.
“That deal is confidential.”
“It’s also unauthorized.”
“I had authority.”
“No.”
Harrison gestured toward me.
“Rebecca’s shares changed the voting structure.”
Marcus stared at me.
“You did this.”
I shook my head.
“You did.”
His face twisted.
“You planned this from the beginning.”
“No.”
“You waited until tonight.”
“I wanted the board to handle it quietly.”
“Bullshit.”
“You threw me out in front of three hundred people.”
He stepped toward me.
The federal agent moved between us.
Marcus pointed at me.
“You wanted this.”
For the first time all night, my voice shook.
“No, Marcus. I wanted a husband who didn’t become a stranger.”
That hit him.
I saw it.
For one second, he looked ashamed.
Then his phone buzzed.
He pulled it from his pocket.
Read the screen.
His face changed again.
Vanessa saw it.
“What?”
Marcus looked at Harrison.
Then at Dana.
Then at me.
Somebody had sent him a message.
He turned the phone over.
May you like
But not before I saw the first line.
FUNDS FROZEN.
