The Wedding Was the Alibi
Chapter 03 - The Wedding Was the Alibi
Thomas’s recording contained account numbers, dates, and copies of forged board approvals. It was enough to expose the theft, but not enough to stop the transfer. The Ashford Trust required a live cancellation from Beatrice and Ethan, followed by confirmation from the foundation’s legal officer.
That officer was Marcus.
“He designed the trap,” Hannah said. “He knew you couldn’t stop it without him.”
Outside the library, guests were still gathered around the pool. Victoria had changed into a dry robe and was giving a tearful statement to the event photographer, repeating that Hannah had attacked her.
Beatrice ordered the wedding screens connected to the library computer. Thomas’s video began playing across the terrace.
Victoria’s expression changed the instant she saw her late husband.
Marcus rushed toward the control table, but Ethan blocked him.
“You told me my father trusted you,” Ethan said.
“He did,” Marcus replied. “Until your fiancée filled your head with conspiracy theories.”
Hannah opened the transfer records Thomas had stored in the capsule. Each stolen payment matched a property purchased by Blue Harbor. The final transaction would move the remaining foundation reserve—and Ethan’s voting shares—into an offshore account controlled by Marcus and Victoria.
Victoria insisted the files were fabricated. She claimed Hannah had hidden the capsule inside the ring and staged everything to seize the estate.
Then the wedding photographer raised his hand.
His drone had been recording the ceremony from above. The unedited footage showed Victoria glance toward Marcus, deliberately step into the shallow end, and pull herself under only after Hannah turned toward the altar. A second camera showed Marcus disable the poolside security feed ten minutes earlier.
The guests watched in silence.
Victoria stopped pretending to be weak.
“You think a video changes anything?” she snapped. “By sunset, the trust will be gone. Ethan will have no company, no foundation, and no inheritance to protect.”
The countdown reached nineteen minutes.
Beatrice called the bank, but Marcus had already revoked her remote access using a forged medical incapacity order.
The original trust seal could restore her authority.
It was stored in the estate vault beneath the west wing.
Marcus smiled.
“The vault code died with Thomas.”
Hannah looked at the ring on the table and noticed four tiny numbers engraved inside the broken setting.
May you like
They were not a serial number.
They were the first four digits of the vault code.
