Chapter 7
The silence in the drawing room grew heavy, stretching thin enough to snap. Marcus looked around the room, realizing the councilman had quietly excused himself, leaving the three of them isolated near the roaring fire. The forced confidence drained from Marcus's face, leaving behind a sallow, pinched look. "This is a misunderstanding," Marcus muttered, his voice losing its steady cadence. "I was looking for the powder room. I took a wrong turn." "The powder room is on the ground floor, Marcus. The master suite is on the third," Julian said, his tone devoid of anger, which made it all the more terrifying. "Empty your pockets." Slowly, with trembling fingers, Marcus reached inside his blazer. He pulled out a silk handkerchief, a silver lighter, and finally, a small, dark velvet pouch. He dropped the pouch onto the marble hearth. It landed with a dull, heavy thud. Elena let out a sharp breath, her hands flying to her mouth. "You bastard," she whispered. Marcus didn't look at her. He kept his eyes fixed on Julian, his chest rising and falling in shallow, rapid breaths. "I needed the cash, Julian. It's a temporary thing. A bad investment. I was going to put it back before you noticed." Julian stepped forward, picked up the velvet pouch, and slipped it into his inner pocket without opening it.
