TimeNovelChapter 861
The next morning.
A thick fog blanketed Cresthaven at dawn, turning the sky an oppressive, ashen gray that seemed to squeeze
the very air out of Marguerite's lungs.
She woke early, ran through her morning routine, and slipped into a sleek black jumpsuit. Her makeup was light
but precise-just enough to look put together.
The Polar Radiance launch was scheduled for ten o'clock. Marguerite needed to get there ahead of time, scope
out the venue, and oversee the final details.
She glanced at her bare neck, debating whether a simple necklace might add a finishing touch, when her phone
buzzed with a new message.
[St. Gabriel's Cathedral, 10:30 AM.]
The text was from Silas.
He must be sending her the address for the wedding. Marguerite's eyes tightened. She hurriedly locked her
phone, but her gaze lingered on the jewelry box, resting on a deep blue silk scarf.
Her nerves were frayed. She didn't notice Maurice appear silently behind her.
His long arms reached around her shoulders, fastening a pearl necklace at her throat.
"A woman in a suit looks sharp, but it's best not to go too severe. Pearls are always the right choice."
Marguerite's heart jumped at his sudden presence.
Before she could protest, Maurice had already clasped the necklace and gently straightened her posture to face
the mirror. "See? Looks much better, doesn't it?"
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Marguerite bit her lip, her eyes meeting his reflection. "Can we skip having Gertie followtoday?"
Maurice's expression didn't change. "Fine."
Marguerite was taken aback. "You're actually agreeing?"
Maurice's hand remained resting on her shoulder-warm, yet sending an
uncomfortable chill down her spine.
He smiled faintly. "Gertie's not the right fit for today's event. But something's come
up at my office, so you go ahead first and wait for me, all right?"
She studied his face. "Okay."
Marguerite couldn't help but notice how much Maurice seemed to enjoy her compliance, the way she always did
as she was told.
He nodded, satisfied, and added with a pointed look, "Be good. Don't do anything reckless."
She knew exactly what he meant.
Today was the Polar Radiance launch-an event she'd waited three years for. No way would she throw it all away
by crashing the wedding of a man she'd barely known a month.
Marguerite said nothing. She turned, left the apartment, and made her way to the parking lot, where the
organizers had arranged a car just for her.
What she hadn't expected was to find Janie sitting in the passenger seat.
Marguerite's face darkened.
No wonder Maurice had agreed so easily! He got rid of Gertie, only to stick Janie in her place.
Unbelievable.
"Maurice's worries are unfounded. Get out of the car, Janie, before I lose my patience."
Janie looked uncomfortable. "Ms.
iel
Lockwood, those are Mr. Winston's
instructions. | have to follow
them please don't make this harder
than it already is."
A weight settled in Marguerite's chest, heavy and suffocating. She could barely breathe.
This was suffocating.
She exhaled shakily, resigned to her fate.
So be it.
After today, this shadowed, stifling existence would finally end. Once Silas married Violet, Maurice would have no
reason to stick around her apartment.
Meanwhile, at the psychology practice.
If it hadn't been for a morning appointment, Stella would never have dragged herself out of bed for an 8 AM
shift.
Yawning, she set up her camcorder and tripod, ready to hit the record button, when a warning flashed on the
screen-storage card full.
She apologized to her patient, popped out the memory card, and plugged it into her computer, rushing to offload
old video files.
There were a lot more recordings than she remembered. The transfer would take a while.
As she waited, Stella began labeling the files, matching faces to names.
But one video thumbnail caught her eye-a shot from behind. She'd
woken up too early, her brain still foggy, and couldn't recall who this was.
She double-clicked to play it, and suddenly realized: it was from yesterday, when
Silas had cin for his session.
Stella didn't think much of it, ready to close the window and jot down her notes- until she noticed the video was
an hour and a half long.
That couldn't be right. Silas's headache had cut their session short-she'd barely
gotten through her questions before he'd had to leave.
There was no reason for the recording to be this long.
What had happened after she'd stopped paying attention?
Curious, Stella fast-forwarded through the footage. Suddenly, her hand froze on the mouse.
What was Silas doing?
Wait-was she seeing this right?
She squeezed her eyes shut, then snapped them open, pausing the video and zooming in again and again...
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