Chapter 3 - The Shadows in the Hallway
The heavy oak door of the bridal suite rattled softly, the sound of leather boots clicking against the polished hardwood outside signaling that the guard presence was shifting.
"He didn't kill her, Travis," Eleanor whispered, her eyes darting toward the shadows moving past the frosted glass of the entrance.
"He kept her hidden in a private medical facility in Canada under a completely fictional name."
"And the reason I married you today wasn't because I wanted a young husband."
"It was because your father’s primary trust fund carries a mandatory inheritance clause that clears on your twenty-fifth birthday—which is tomorrow."
"If you aren't married to a verified member of the legacy corporate board by midnight tonight, the entire $50 million reverts directly to his private accounts in Delaware."
I looked down at the thick manila envelope and the silver keys resting on the marble table.
One million dollars in certified bonds.
A brand-new truck.
It wasn't a wedding gift; it was a relocation package designed to get me out of the state before the real execution began.
"He knows you're here, Eleanor," I said, the realization hitting me like a sudden wave of heat.
"The men dressed in black suits outside... they aren't your security team."
"No," Eleanor said, her voice dropping to a terrifying, steady calm.
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"They are his collection squad."
"And the moment the clock strikes midnight, they have strict orders to ensure neither of us ever walks out of this hacienda alive."
