Chapter 4 - The Greedy Husband’s CelebrationWhile Eleanor was mobilizing her private intelligence network, Julian Vance was popping a bottle of Dom Pérignon in his luxurious penthouse suite overlooking the city skyline.
Sitting beside him on the velvet sofa was Sophia, Eleanor’s former personal secretary and Julian’s secret lover for the past two years.
"Is it really done?" Sophia asked, her eyes gleaming with avarice as she adjusted her diamond necklace. "Are you sure those men finished the job?"
"Vector confirmed it half an hour ago," Julian boasted, pouring two glasses of champagne. "They dropped her from thirty meters. The fall alone would crush her bones, and the ravine rocks did the rest. The fog will cover everything until the rain washes away any tracks."
"And the insurance policy?"
"One hundred million dollars," Julian laughed triumphantly. "Plus full control of her international shipping empire. Tomorrow morning, I file the missing person report. In three days, the body will be 'found' by local search teams. By next week, we are billionaires, my sweet."
They clinked their glasses together, sipping the sweet wine of treacherous victory. Julian felt like a mastermind. He had taken a sweet, quiet woman, manipulated her trust, used her fortune to build his status, and now disposed of her without leaving a single trace leading back to him.
Suddenly, the penthouse lights flickered.
The heavy crystal chandelier above the dining table dimmed twice, then flared brightly before returning to normal. Julian frowned, setting his glass down.
"Faulty wiring?" Sophia asked, suddenly uneasy.
Julian walked over to the floor-to-ceiling glass window. Outside, the night sky was clear, but reflected in the glass, right behind his own silhouette, he caught a momentary glimpse of a figure standing in the corner of the living room—a woman in a dark coat, holding a red silk scarf.
Julian spun around violently. "Who’s there?!"
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The living room was empty. Sophia looked at him like he had lost his mind. "Julian? What’s wrong with you?"
Julian wiped a bead of cold sweat from his forehead, his heart hammering against his ribs. "Nothing... just... fatigue."
