Julian insisted on a night away from the city’s chaos, chartering a yacht for just the two of them. The Hudson River sparkled under the setting sun, the yacht’s deck a haven of candlelight and soft music. Elise wore a silver gown that shimmered like water, her nerves fraying despite the beauty around her. The text about Julian’s company records haunted her, but she hadn’t confronted him—not yet.

He pulled her into a slow dance, his hands warm on her bare back. “You’re quiet tonight,” he said, his lips grazing her temple.

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“I’m just… taking it all in,” she lied, her heart racing. His touch was a drug, pulling her under, and when he led her below deck to a candlelit cabin, she didn’t resist. Their lovemaking was fierce, almost desperate, as if both sensed a storm coming. Her nails raked his back, his teeth grazed her collarbone, their bodies seeking solace in each other.

But as they lay in the afterglow, Elise’s resolve hardened. “Julian, I need the truth,” she said, sitting up, the sheet clutched to her chest. “About the deal. All of it.”

His face paled, but he nodded. “It was a real estate tech venture,” he said. “We overpromised—sold dreams we couldn’t deliver. When it collapsed, investors lost millions. I didn’t know the full extent of the damage until it was too late. Livia… she covered up the worst of it, but at a cost. She wanted control, and I walked away instead.”

Elise’s throat tightened. “Why didn’t you tell me everything from the start?”

“Because I was ashamed,” he said, his voice raw. “And because I’m terrified of losing you.”

Before she could respond, the yacht lurched, a loud thud echoing from the deck. Julian sprang up, pulling on his pants. “Stay here,” he ordered, but Elise followed, her heart pounding. On deck, they found a small motorboat retreating into the darkness—and a package left behind, wrapped in black velvet.

Julian opened it, his face ashen. Inside was a USB drive and a note: The truth will sink you both. Elise’s blood ran cold. Livia wasn’t just a threat—she was a predator, and they were her prey.

Chapter 6: The Breaking Point

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