Chapter 9 - The Choice That Changed EverythingVivienne refused to surrender.
She doubled security.
Moved the trust documents.
Changed every password.
And quietly contacted federal investigators.
But Marcus was always one step ahead.
Three days later, Preston disappeared.
Vivienne received a video.
Preston sat tied to a chair.
His face was bruised.
Marcus stood behind him.
"Vivienne."
Preston looked at the camera.
"Don't give him anything."
Marcus smiled.
"How noble."
Vivienne's hands shook.
"Let him go."
"Sign the transfer."
"No."
Marcus placed a gun against Preston's shoulder.
Vivienne closed her eyes.
Marcus laughed.
"You have twelve hours."
The video ended.
Her mother stepped into the room.
"You can't give him the trust."
"I know."
"Vivienne."
"I know."
"But Preston..."
Vivienne looked at the screen.
"He made terrible choices."
Her voice broke.
"But he's still my husband."
Eleanor took her hand.
"Do you still love him?"
Vivienne didn't answer.
Hours passed.
Then a message arrived.
An address.
An abandoned warehouse in Brooklyn.
Vivienne arrived with federal agents.
But before they could enter, Preston came running out.
Alive.
Bloodied.
Alone.
Vivienne rushed toward him.
"Where is Marcus?"
"I don't know."
"What happened?"
Preston looked at her.
"I escaped."
She studied him.
"How?"
"I convinced one of his men to let me go."
Vivienne frowned.
"Why?"
Preston reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a small flash drive.
"I stole this."
"What is it?"
"Everything."
They returned to the Sinclair estate.
The drive contained bank records.
Videos.
Encrypted communications.
Names.
Politicians.
Executives.
Lawyers.
And one name that shocked Vivienne.
Eleanor Sinclair.
Vivienne stared.
"No."
Preston looked at her.
"There's more."
He opened another file.
A video appeared.
Vivienne's mother was sitting across from Marcus.
The date was six months earlier.
Vivienne's face went pale.
Her mother was speaking.
"I'll make sure Vivienne never learns the truth."
Vivienne stood frozen.
"Mom?"
Eleanor walked into the room.
She saw the screen.
Her face collapsed.
Vivienne turned.
"Tell me this isn't real."
Eleanor began crying.
"I was protecting you."
"From what?"
"Your father."
Vivienne stared.
"What did Dad do?"
Eleanor whispered,
"He didn't die naturally."
Silence.
Preston looked at Vivienne.
Her mother continued.
"Your father was planning to kill you."
Vivienne stepped backward.
"No."
"He wanted the trust."
"No."
"He had already hired someone."
"Who?"
Eleanor looked at Preston.
"Your father."
Preston's face went white.
"What?"
Eleanor nodded.
"Your father was the man your father-in-law hired."
Vivienne stared at Preston.
The room became unbearably quiet.
May you like
Then Eleanor said the sentence that destroyed everything they thought they knew.
"Preston's father was supposed to kill Vivienne."
