Chapter 4 - The Jailhouse Confession
The state penitentiary’s visiting room was stark and smelled strongly of industrial bleach. Marcus sat behind the thick plexiglass partition, waiting.
When the door on the other side opened, Evelyn walked in. She was wearing a drab orange jumpsuit, her hair unwashed and tangled, a stark contrast to the ethereal bride who had stood under the chandeliers just a week ago. Yet, despite her circumstances, her eyes burned with a vicious intensity.
She sat down and picked up the telephone receiver. Marcus did the same.
"Come to gloat, Marcus?" she sneered, her voice raspy. "Come to see the monster in her cage?"
"I came to ask one question, Evelyn," Marcus said, his voice flat, devoid of the love that used to fill it. "Did you ever actually love me? Even for a second?"
Evelyn let out a sharp, mocking laugh that turned into a cough. "Love you? Marcus, you were a chore. A golden goose I had to stroke and pamper every single day. Do you know how exhausting it was to pretend to care about your charities, your tech talk, your memories of your father? It was agonizing."
Marcus felt a sharp pang in his chest, but he forced his expression to remain stoic. "I see. You played the part well."
"I had to," she snapped, leaning closer to the glass. "My family was drowning. Victor Sterling had his boot on our necks. He promised us that if I married you and disposed of you, he would clear our debts and give us 30% of Kingston Enterprises. It was survival, Marcus. You have everything. You don't know what it’s like to look into the abyss of poverty."
"So you decided to murder an innocent man? And you let your mother abuse a little girl to cover your tracks?" Marcus’s voice hardened.
"Lily is a rat! Just like her father!" Evelyn hissed, her eyes widening crazily. "Arthur thought he could play the hero too. Look where it got him. A ditch on Route 9."
Marcus’s eyes narrowed. "What did you just say?"
Evelyn realized too late what she had admitted. She clamped her mouth shut, her face turning pale.
"Arthur’s death was ruled an accidental crash due to bad weather," Marcus said slowly. "The police never found any evidence of foul play. But you just said 'look where it got him.' You knew it wasn't an accident."
"I don't know anything," Evelyn stammered, pulling back from the glass.
"It was Victor, wasn't it?" Marcus pressed on. "Victor arranged Arthur’s crash because Arthur found out about the poison plot. And you knew about it. That makes you an accessory to murder, Evelyn. Not just attempted murder. Actual murder."
Evelyn slammed the receiver down and stood up, shouting for the guard to take her back to her cell. But Marcus didn't need her to say anything else. He hung up his receiver, a grim satisfaction settling over him. He had recorded the entire conversation, and with Julian’s legal team already dismantling the Vance family's assets, this confession would ensure Evelyn and her mother would never see the light of day again.
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As Marcus walked out of the prison, the fresh air hit his face. He felt a weight lifting. The romance was dead, the illusion was shattered, but the truth was finally prevailing. He dialed Julian’s number.
"Julian, it’s me. Tell the District Attorney to reopen Arthur’s case. Evelyn just broke."
