Chapter 2 - THE MAN BEHIND THE DOOR
The ballroom was silent.
Not the comfortable kind of silence.
The dangerous kind.
The kind that happens right before something breaks.
Everyone was staring at the man standing behind me.
And I understood immediately why Celeste had looked so confident.
Because the man who had just told security to stop…
was not a stranger.
It was Marcus Vale.
Griffin Hales' closest friend.
His business partner.
The man who had been beside him since the beginning of Hales International Hotels.
The man Griffin trusted more than anyone in the room.
Marcus stepped forward calmly.
His expensive suit was perfectly pressed.
His expression was controlled.
Almost too controlled.
"Griffin," he said, looking at his friend, "you need to think carefully before you destroy someone's reputation."
My stomach tightened.
There it was.
Not denial.
Not shock.
A warning.
Griffin stared at him.
"Marcus."
The billionaire's voice was quiet.
But I could hear the anger underneath.
"What exactly are you doing?"
Marcus glanced at the champagne glass.
"I'm stopping you from making a mistake based on the word of someone you don't know."
His eyes moved toward me.
The way he looked at me made my skin crawl.
Not like I was a person.
Like I was a problem.
A problem that needed to disappear.
"This woman is a florist," Marcus continued. "She was somewhere she shouldn't have been and overheard a conversation she doesn't understand."
I stepped forward.
"I understand exactly what I heard."
Marcus smiled slightly.
"No, you don't."
I hated how calm he was.
People like him didn't need to raise their voices.
They were used to being believed.
Griffin looked between us.
"Marcus, are you saying Fay is lying?"
The question surprised everyone.
Including me.
He knew my name.
Maybe because someone had checked my work badge.
Maybe because he was trying to intimidate me.
Marcus shook his head.
"I'm saying she may be mistaken."
Celeste finally spoke.
Her voice was soft.
Almost hurt.
"Griffin, I cannot believe you are allowing this woman to accuse me."
The room turned toward her.
She placed one hand against her chest.
A perfect performance.
"I have spent years building a life with you. I love you. And now, in front of everyone we know, someone walks in and claims I want you dead?"
A few guests exchanged uncomfortable looks.
I could feel the room changing.
They weren't looking at Celeste anymore.
They were looking at me.
The poor florist.
The outsider.
The woman causing a scene.
My courage started slipping.
Then Griffin walked closer.
"Fay."
I looked at him.
"Did you see anything else?"
The question caught me off guard.
I expected anger.
I expected disbelief.
But he was listening.
I nodded slowly.
"No. I only heard them."
"Can you identify the man she was speaking with?"
Before I answered, Marcus stepped forward.
"Griffin, this is ridiculous."
But I didn't look at Marcus.
I looked at Griffin.
And I said:
"Yes."
The room went quiet again.
Griffin's eyes narrowed.
"Who?"
I pointed.
My finger shook.
But I didn't lower it.
"The man standing behind me."
Marcus Vale's expression changed.
Only slightly.
But I saw it.
And Griffin saw it too.
For the first time that night...
he looked uncertain.
Security moved closer.
Griffin held up his hand.
"Nobody leaves."
The words hit the room like a warning.
Nobody leaves.
Celeste's face hardened.
Marcus remained calm.
Too calm.
Then Griffin looked at the champagne.
"Take it to the lab."
Marcus immediately reacted.
"No."
Everyone heard it.
That one word.
That one instant reaction.
Griffin turned slowly.
"Why?"
Marcus didn't answer.
And that silence said more than words ever could.
A security officer carefully took the glass.
Then Griffin leaned closer to me.
"Fay, stay here."
I nodded.
But before I could respond, my phone suddenly vibrated.
A message.
From an unknown number.
I opened it.
And my blood went cold.
May you like
Because there was only one sentence.
Stop talking, or the next accident will be yours.
