Chapter 6 - The House of Cards Falls
Panic swept across the head table like a wildfire.
“Security!” Rachel shrieked, standing up so fast her chair knocked over behind her. “Security, get this convicted felon out of here! She’s dangerous! She attacked us three years ago!”
Two tall guards stepped forward from the side doors, but Ethan smoothly stepped into their path, pulling two official legal injunctions from his inner jacket pocket and flashing them with icy composure.
“Touch her,” Ethan said in a quiet, deadly tone that made both guards freeze, “and you’ll be named co-defendants in an active federal racketeering indictment.”
I took three slow steps up the wooden stairs of the stage, stopping directly beside Michael. He backed away until his shoulders hit the projection screen behind him, sweat glistening on his forehead.
“You’re supposed to be in a transition facility,” Michael whispered frantically, his eyes darting around the room as guests pulled out their phones, filming every second. “You can’t be here!”
“I was released early for good behavior, Michael,” I murmured, pulling a small USB drive from my velvet clutch. “And because the State Attorney’s office found something very interesting during a routine audit of your sworn testimony.”
I plugged the USB drive into the podium’s master media console.
Instantly, the massive projection screen behind the head table flickered. The corporate logo vanished, replaced by high-definition video footage.
The room gasped in unison.
The screen showed the hallway of my apartment building three years ago. The timestamp read 2:15 PM on our anniversary.
The video showed Rachel walking into the master bathroom completely uninjured. Twenty minutes later, the camera caught her smashing her own side against the marble vanity counter, deliberately fracturing her ribs, while Michael stood by the doorway holding a timer.
Audio played through the ballroom speakers, crisp and clear:
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Michael’s voice: “Make sure the bruise is dark, Rachel. If the paramedics don't file aggravated assault, the judge won't activate the trust transfer clause.” Rachel’s voice: “Just make sure you clear her bank accounts before she gets bail!”
Rachel let out a horrified, guttural scream, slamming her hands over her ears as the guests broke into absolute chaos. Reporters began snapping flashes rapidly, lighting up the stage in blinding white glare.
