Chapter 7 - THE WEDDING NIGHT PLAN
Victor brought Lily to a safe apartment owned by the Blackwood family.
Isabella joined them.
Marcus stood guard near the entrance.
Lily opened an old leather notebook.
“My father tracked payments made through the Montigue Foundation.”
“Some went to judges.”
“Some went to doctors.”
“Others went to men connected to contract killings.”
Victor’s expression remained controlled.
“What did he find about me?”
“A policy was created three months after your engagement.”
“A life insurance policy?”
“No.”
Lily turned a page.
“A succession agreement.”
“If you died after marrying Serena, she would temporarily control your estate.”
“Ethan would inherit everything when he turned twenty-one.”
“Until then, Serena would make every financial decision.”
Isabella looked at Victor.
“You never signed that.”
“I did not.”
Lily placed a copy on the table.
“It carries your signature.”
Victor examined it.
The signature looked perfect.
Marcus spoke.
“It may have been copied from internal records.”
Victor looked at Lily.
“Who had access?”
“Your family attorney.”
Isabella’s face changed.
“Mr. Crane?”
Victor had trusted Jonathan Crane for fifteen years.
Crane had drafted Ethan’s trust.
Crane had handled every Blackwood property transfer.
Victor called him.
The call went directly to voicemail.
Marcus immediately checked the tracking system.
“Crane’s phone was switched off near Lake Michigan.”
Victor stood.
“Find him.”
Lily caught his sleeve.
“You cannot trust the police yet.”
Victor looked at her hand.
She released him.
“My father wrote that a detective was being paid.”
“Which detective?”
“I do not know.”
Isabella paced across the room.
“So Serena plans to marry Victor.”
“Then she kills him.”
“Then she controls Ethan and everything attached to his name.”
Victor looked toward the rain-covered windows.
“The wedding was twelve days away.”
Lily shook her head.
“It was not supposed to happen in twelve days.”
Everyone turned toward her.
She pulled a folded invitation from the notebook.
The date had been changed by hand.
A private ceremony.
Two days from now.
Victor read the location.
Blackwood Lake Estate.
Isabella frowned.
“That property has been closed for years.”
Marcus suddenly looked at his tablet.
“Not anymore.”
“Someone activated the estate’s security system yesterday.”
Victor’s eyes hardened.
Then an alarm sounded from the hallway.
One of the guards shouted.
“Get down!”
A bullet shattered the apartment window.
Lily fell to the floor.
Victor covered her with his body.
May you like
Across the street, a dark figure lowered a rifle.
And beside the shooter stood Jonathan Crane.
