Chapter 4 - The Setup
Two days later, Chloe was healing, her bruises fading to a dull yellow, though the emotional scars were raw. But she was my daughter, and beneath her fear, there was steel. When Marcus explained the plan, she didn't hesitate.
She texted Mateo. I’m sorry I ran. Let’s talk. Meet me at the old boathouse on the lake at 8 PM. Alone.
Mateo replied instantly. I’ll be there, my love. I’ve been worried sick.
The old boathouse was isolated, abandoned years ago. When Mateo’s sleek Porsche pulled up the gravel drive, Marcus, Chloe, and I were already waiting in the shadows of the upper loft. Chloe stood alone on the dock, wrapped in a heavy coat, a hidden wire taped to her collarbone.
Mateo stepped out, wearing a tailored suit and a mask of utter devotion. He rushed toward her, arms open. “Chloe! God, what happened to your face?”
Chloe stepped back, her voice shaking but resolute. “You know what happened, Mateo. Your mother beat me. And you stood outside the door.”
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Mateo stopped, his face hardening instantly. The charming facade vanished, replaced by the arrogant, desperate man he truly was. “You brought that on yourself, Chloe. We are family now. What’s yours is ours. If you had just signed the paper, it wouldn't have gotten ugly.”
Up in the loft, the recording software on Marcus’s laptop captured every single word.
