Chapter 4 - The Puppet Master
The rain was pouring in sheets by the time Daniel arrived at the luxury high-rise in Manhattan. The penthouse occupied the entire top floor, offering a panoramic view of the dark, glittering skyline.
Marcus and a team of highly trained security operatives stood in the lobby, ready to move on Daniel's signal. Daniel had a hidden earpiece in his ear, keeping him in constant contact with Marcus.
"I'm going up," Daniel whispered into his collar. "Keep the elevator locked down once I'm on the top floor. No one enters or leaves."
"Copy that, boss. We are right behind you. Just say the word."
Daniel stepped into the private elevator. The ride up to the 60th floor felt agonizingly slow. When the doors slid open, the penthouse was dark, lit only by the city lights filtering through the massive glass windows.
The air was thick with tension.
"Victoria?" Daniel called out, his voice echoing in the vast space.
No answer.
He walked slowly into the living room. The designer furniture looked ghostly in the shadows. He heard a muffled sound coming from the dining room.
Daniel turned the corner and saw Marisol and her daughter Annie tied to two chairs, their mouths covered with heavy tape. Annie’s eyes were wide with terror, tears streaming down her small cheeks.
"It's okay, I'm here," Daniel whispered, taking a step toward them.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Daniel."
The voice came from the shadows behind him.
Daniel turned slowly. Victoria stepped out of the darkness. She was no longer wearing her elegant silk robe. She wore a dark, tight-fitting jacket and trousers. In her hand, she held a small, sleek black pistol. It was pointed directly at Daniel's chest.
"You really are a difficult man to kill, Daniel," Victoria said, a cruel, mocking smile playing on her lips. "I thought the butter would be so poetic. A quiet, peaceful end. But you had to let a little rat ruin everything."
"It's over, Victoria," Daniel said, keeping his hands visible and his voice calm. "I know everything. I know about Thomas Sterling. I know about Sarah. I know you've been poisoning me."
Victoria laughed, but there was a frantic, desperate edge to it. "Do you think I care what you know? By tomorrow morning, I will be on a private flight to a country with no extradition. But I'm not leaving empty-handed."
She tossed a document onto the dining table. It was the marriage certificate, pre-signed by her, along with a revised power of attorney.
"You're going to sign those," Victoria said. "And then, you're going to take a little pill I brought for you. It will look like a tragic suicide. A billionaire, devastated by the realization that his fiancée was a fraud, takes his own life. The note is already written."
"And if I refuse?" Daniel asked.
Victoria aimed the gun at Annie's head. "Then I start with the kid. And then her mother. And finally, you. I'll make it painful. Choose, Daniel."
Daniel looked at Annie, then at Victoria. He could feel the earpiece in his ear. Marcus was listening to every word.
"Why did you kill Sarah?" Daniel asked, trying to buy time, his voice thick with emotion. "She was your friend. She trusted you."
"Sarah was weak," Victoria spat, her eyes flashing with malice. "She had everything I deserved. The money, the status, the lifestyle. She didn't even appreciate it. I deserved this life, Daniel. And when she was gone, you were so easy to manipulate. You were a lonely, grieving man looking for a savior. I played the part perfectly."
"You did," Daniel admitted. "But you made one mistake."
Victoria smirked. "Oh? And what was that?"
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"You assumed I was alone."
In that exact second, the glass windows behind Victoria shattered with a deafening crash.
