Chapter 11: The Person Behind the Threat
The phone remained on speaker.
Nobody breathed.
The voice repeated.
“Brielle?””
Marcus stared at her.
She looked like she wanted to disappear.
“Who is that?”” he asked.
Brielle didn’t answer.
Caleb slowly lowered the phone.
“End the call.””
Marcus grabbed his wrist.
“No.””
Caleb looked at him.
“Marcus.””
“No more protecting people.””
His voice was firm.
“Put it back.””
Caleb hesitated.
Then lifted the phone.
The voice returned.
“I know you’re there.””
Marcus spoke.
“Who are you?””
A pause.
Then a calm reply.
“My name doesn’t matter.””
Marcus almost laughed.
“Of course it doesn’t.””
He looked around.
“Nothing seems to matter until after I find out.””
The person on the phone ignored him.
“Brielle, you were supposed to handle this quietly.””
Brielle’s face went pale.
Marcus looked at her.
“Handle what?””
No answer.
The voice continued.
“You brought too many people into this.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“Who is this?””
The caller stayed silent.
Then said:
“Daniel Reed.””
Daniel froze.
The tone changed.
Not because of fear.
Because he recognized something.
“You know who I am.””
“Yes.””
Marcus noticed.
“Daniel?””
Daniel didn’t respond.
The caller continued.
“You should have stayed out of it.””
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“You threatened her.””
A pause.
“I warned her.””
Marcus looked at Brielle.
“You know this person?””
Brielle whispered:
“Yes.””
“Who?””
She closed her eyes.
“Victor.””
Caleb looked down.
Evelyn frowned.
“Who is Victor?””
Nobody answered.
The silence told Marcus enough.
He looked at Brielle.
“Another secret.””
She shook her head.
“He’s not what you think.””
Marcus stared.
“Everyone says that.””
The voice on the phone returned.
“Brielle, tell him.””
She didn’t move.
“Tell him why you needed the money.””
Marcus looked at her.
The garden felt colder.
Brielle whispered:
“Victor was the person who funded Caleb’s investments.””
Marcus looked at Caleb.
“You borrowed from him?””
Caleb nodded.
“Yes.””
“And he wanted repayment.””
“Yes.””
Marcus looked at Brielle.
“And you got involved.””
She nodded.
“I thought I could fix it.””
Victor laughed quietly through the phone.
“That’s always been her problem.””
Brielle’s face hardened.
“Don’t talk about me like you know me.””
The voice became colder.
“I know you better than anyone.””
Marcus felt a strange tension.
Not just business.
Something personal.
“What did he have over you?””
Brielle didn’t answer.
Victor did.
“She knows.””
Marcus looked at the phone.
“Knows what?””
A pause.
Then:
“She knows why I could never let her walk away.””
The guests whispered.
Marcus looked at Brielle.
“Why?””
She looked terrified.
“Because…”
She stopped.
Then Caleb interrupted.
“Because Victor knows what happened the night everything changed.””
Marcus turned.
“What night?””
Caleb looked at his sister.
Brielle’s eyes filled.
“No.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“What night?””
Daniel spoke quietly.
“Brielle.””
She looked at him.
He nodded.
“It’s time.””
The words broke something inside her.
She sat down on the nearest chair.
The wedding dress spread around her.
A bride sitting alone beneath the flowers she chose.
“I wasn’t running from my marriage,” she whispered.
Marcus listened.
“I was running from what happened after.””
Nobody moved.
Brielle continued.
“Seven years ago, Caleb made a deal with Victor.””
Caleb looked down.
“It was supposed to save our family.””
“But it didn’t,” Brielle said.
She looked at Marcus.
“It destroyed everything.””
Victor’s voice came through the phone.
“Careful, Brielle.””
She looked at the phone.
For the first time, anger replaced fear.
“You don’t control me anymore.””
A silence followed.
Then Victor said:
“Are you sure?””
Brielle froze.
Marcus noticed.
“What did he just mean?””
She didn’t answer.
Victor continued.
“You never told Marcus the worst part.””
Marcus looked at her.
“What worst part?””
Brielle’s eyes filled with tears.
“Victor…”
The voice interrupted.
“You didn’t tell him that his name wasn’t just used.””
A pause.
“You told him.””
Marcus felt confused.
“Told me what?””
Brielle looked at him.
And the fear in her eyes became unbearable.
“I…”
She stopped.
Then Victor finished the sentence.
“You told Marcus the truth about the money.””
Marcus frowned.
“That’s not a secret.””
Victor continued.
“But you never told him the truth about how you got close to him.””
The garden went silent.
Marcus slowly looked at Brielle.
“What does that mean?””
Brielle couldn’t answer.
May you like
And Victor’s final words made everyone freeze.
“Ask her why she was already watching you before you ever met.””
