Chapter 3 - The Ghost in the Ledger
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On the other side of the line, Marcus Vance did not ask about the holiday or why her voice shook slightly.
Marcus was the city's most feared forensic auditor, a man who answered to no syndicate and feared no family name.
Ten years ago, Laurel had saved his firm from bankruptcy by catching an embezzlement scheme his own partners had missed.
"I’ve been waiting for this call for six months, Laurel," Marcus said, the clatter of a keyboard audible in the background.
"Meet me at the secure storage facility in Queens in one hour."
"Bring the encrypted flash drive you kept from 2021."
"I already have it," she replied.
Laurel bought a oversized flannel shirt and a baseball cap from the diner's souvenir rack, pulled them over her evening gown, and stepped into an ordinary yellow cab.
Across town in Manhattan, Silas Varelli stood by the cold hearth of his penthouse, drinking bourbon straight from the bottle.
Sabrina Cole sat on the white leather sofa, dabbing her tear-stained eyes with a linen napkin.
"She humiliated me in front of your mother, Silas," Sabrina whined softly, leaning forward so the diamond necklace caught the light.
Silas didn't turn around.
The silence in the room was heavier than any argument they had ever had.
On the mahogany side table lay the simple gold band Laurel had left beside his dinner plate.
He picked it up, feeling the worn edge where his name had been engraved fifteen years ago in a small shop near Brighton Beach.
His hand still felt numb from the impact.
He had reacted out of instinct, defending the woman crying in front of his family, but the instant his palm hit Laurel’s skin, something inside his empire had cracked.
"You shouldn't have worn the bracelet tonight, Sabrina," Silas said, his voice flat and dangerous.
Sabrina's breath hitched.
"You told me it was mine."
"I didn't tell you to wear it in front of my wife at Christmas dinner."
"She's not your wife anymore if she walked out!"
May you like
Silas turned slowly, his eyes dark with a cold fury that made Sabrina shrink back into the cushions.
"Get out of my sight," Silas said.
