Chapter 3: The Cold Truth
Mark arrived at the hospital an hour later. He looked disheveled, his suit wrinkled, his ego shattered. He walked into the room ready to perform his usual routine—the apology, the excuse, the gaslighting.
"Claire, thank God," he began, reaching for my hand.
I pulled away. I didn't yell. I didn't cry. I simply held up the tablet with the transcript pulled up.
"Mr. Harrison sent me a copy of the security footage, Mark. And he told me something interesting. He said you were a 'good salesman,' but he doesn't employ men who let their wives die for the sake of a roast chicken."
Mark’s face drained of color. "What are you talking about? He didn't fire me. He just... he suspended me."
"He fired you, Mark. And he’s suing you for the damage to his professional reputation caused by your behavior at the house that night. He doesn't want a liability like you representing his firm."
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Linda appeared in the doorway, her voice shrill. "How dare you! We are family! You can't just throw him away because of a misunderstanding!"
I looked at them both—the parasite and the host. "You’re right," I said. "You are family. And that’s why you’re both going to learn exactly how much power I actually have."
