Chapter 6
The heavy double doors of the banquet hall swung open. Marcus stepped into the room.
At forty-five, the Security Manager possessed a broad-shouldered, rugged presence that instantly dwarfed Richard’s tailored tuxedo. He wore a crisp, dark navy formal venue-security uniform, complete with a gold badge pinned to his breast pocket and an earpiece curled subtly around his ear. His fair, weathered face was set into an expression of absolute, unshakeable professional neutrality.
In his large, capable hands, he held a sleek black tablet.
The room seemed to hold its collective breath as Marcus walked briskly across the marble floor, his heavy boots crunching softly over the scattered remnants of broken porcelain. He bypassed the gasping guests and the overturned chairs, stopping exactly halfway between Victoria and Richard.
Victoria did not break her defensive posture, but she shifted her gaze to the man in the uniform.
"What is the meaning of this?" Eleanor croaked from the floor. She gripped the edge of the surviving banquet table, struggling to pull herself up. Her pearl necklace was twisted, and the red mark on her face was a glowing testament to her defeat. "Remove this woman immediately! She attacked me!"
Marcus did not look at the matriarch. He kept his eyes locked on Richard.
"Sir, I received an alert from my control room," Marcus said, his voice carrying an unmistakable American accent that projected absolute authority. "They advised me to step in before the situation escalated further."
"Good!" Richard barked, though his voice wavered slightly. He pointed at Victoria. "She assaulted my mother. And her daughter tried to steal my phone. Escort them off the property, or I will have your job!"
Victoria looked directly at Richard. A cold, terrifying smile touched the corners of her mouth.
As Richard laid his eyes on the black tablet in Marcus’s hands, his face underwent a catastrophic transformation. The angry flush that had colored his skin vanished entirely. The color drained from his face at a terrifying speed, leaving him looking sickly and pale. The confident posture collapsed. His shoulders slumped, his mouth opened in a silent gasp, and the hand holding his smartphone began to tremble violently.
Richard froze.
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"Is there a problem, Richard?" Victoria asked, her voice dripping with lethal sarcasm. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Marcus tapped the screen of his tablet, the bright backlight illuminating his rugged face. "Before we discuss removing anyone from this venue, sir, I believe you need to see what my overhead surveillance cameras just flagged."
