Chapter 26 - THE REVENGE SCHEME
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Elena pulled a clean cloth from beneath the counter and gestured toward a quiet corner booth away from the other patrons. Marcus sat down carefully, placing little Leo in the padded seat beside him. The baby immediately reached out, grabbing Elena’s thumb with a surprisingly firm grip.
Elena’s eyes softened as she gently stroked the baby’s soft head. “What truth, Marcus?”
Marcus took a heavy breath, running a hand through his messy dark hair. “Victoria didn't just push the stroller because she was jealous. I found out yesterday through a forensic audit of her father’s firm.”
Elena raised her eyebrows. “What did you find?”
“Her father was embezzling tens of millions from my family’s estate,” Marcus explained, his voice low and bitter. “Victoria knew I was close to discovering it. She wanted Leo gone so that if something happened to me, she could claim my estate as my betrothed. The stroller wasn't a sudden impulse, Elena. It was a planned assassination.”
Elena gasped softly, her hand tightening around Leo’s tiny fingers. “She tried to murder a six-month-old child for a corporate takeover?”
“Yes,” Marcus said, his eyes filled with dark resolve. “And now that I’ve exposed her father, Victoria has gone completely rogue. She pulled all her funds out of the bank two days ago and vanished before the federal marshals could execute an arrest warrant.”
Elena felt a cold spike of fear shoot down her spine. “She’s still out there?”
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“She is,” Marcus nodded grimly. “And she knows that without you and that security footage, she would have inherited everything. Elena, she views you as the sole reason her life fell apart.”
Before Elena could respond, the diner’s back door creaked open, and a cold draft swept through the kitchen, bringing with it the distinct sound of heavy, unfamiliar footsteps.
