Chapter 8 - The Ruin of Derek Bennett
At the climax of the gala, Derek stood on the grand stage, wiping away fake tears as he thanked the crowd for supporting him after the "tragic, accidental loss" of his pregnant wife.
Suddenly, the lights snapped off.
The massive projector screens behind him flickered to life. Instead of a memorial slideshow, a crystal-clear audio recording began to blast through the ballroom's surround-sound speakers. It was the intercom recording from the freezer, salvaged by Julian's tech team from the facility's black-box server:
“The insurance pays triple for accidental death... Two million dollars, Grace. I have debts... I needed a way out.”
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The crowd gasped in horror. Derek froze, his face draining of all color. "Turn it off! Turn it off!" he screamed frantically.
Instead of turning off, the double doors of the ballroom swung wide open. A beam of bright spotlight hit the entrance. Walking down the center aisle, flanked by federal agents and Julian Vance, was Grace.
