Chapter 5 - Shadows at the DoorThe peace was shattered on a Thursday afternoon when Clara stepped out of her community workshop in Queens. A sleek black town car was idling near the curb, and as she hurried toward the subway, Ethan stepped directly into her path.
He looked disheveled despite his tailored suit, his eyes rimmed with red. "Clara, stop. We need to talk."
"There is nothing left to say, Ethan," Clara replied, sidestepping him. "Get out of my way."
He grabbed her forearm, his grip desperate. "You think Julian Vance cares about you? He’s using you to spite Arthur! Victoria and I... it was an arrangement my father forced on me. I love you, Clara. If you testify that Julian coerced you into this marriage, Arthur will pay us enough to disappear together."
Clara pulled her arm back with sudden, sharp force. "You really don't understand, do you? You sold yourself for a trust fund, Ethan. You let your pregnant fiancée sit alone while you scheme in alleyways. Julian never lied to me once. You lied every single day."
May you like
Ethan’s face twisted into an ugly snarl. "He’s a monster, Clara! Ask him what happened to his first fiancée six years ago! Ask him why she vanished from New York!"
Before Clara could answer, a large shadow blocked the daylight. Julian’s private security chief, Marcus, stepped between them, his posture immoveable. Ethan backed away quickly, his threats dissolving into the city noise, but his final words hung like poison in the air.
Related Stories
