Marcus: Arthur, who had access to the kitchen before the grand entry?
Dr. Vance: Only the catering staff, the event planners, and executive family members who signed off on the menu delivery.
Marcus: Where is my stepbrother? Where is Richard?
Marcus turned his gaze across the room, searching the crowd of panicked faces for his half-brother, who was supposed to be managing the guest register.
Elena: Marcus! I washed Liam's hands three times with soap, he didn't taste any of it!
Marcus: Thank God. Keep him in the back office with security, Elena. Nobody comes in or out without my permission.
Elena: What is going on? Who would do something so horrible?
Marcus: Someone who stands to gain control of the Morelli real estate trust if I'm no longer here to sign the agreement tomorrow morning.
Marcus walked briskly toward the security monitoring station located near the rear entryway of the hall.
Lily stayed close to her mother's dress, her eyes still red and swollen from crying.
Marcus: Security, pull up the kitchen cameras from twenty minutes ago.
Guard: Sir, the kitchen feed went offline around six-fifteen. It looks like a manual power cut on that specific circuit.
Marcus: A manual cut? That means whoever did it knew exactly where the breaker panel was inside the private staff corridor.
Lily: Mr. Marcus... the man with the scar... he had a silver ring on his thumb with a big blue stone.
Marcus stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing as he remembered seeing that exact thumb ring earlier that afternoon.
Marcus: A blue sapphire signet ring... Richard's personal driver, Julian.
Guard: Sir, Julian was seen near the parking garage five minutes ago loading a black duffel bag into an SUV.
Marcus: Seal the gates! Don't let that car leave the driveway!
Marcus bolted toward the main exit, his polished dress shoes clicking heavily against the marble floor.
Outside, the cool night air hit his face as headlights flashed across the long, tree-lined driveway of the estate.
A black luxury SUV was speeding toward the iron security gates, but the massive iron bars were already sliding shut.
The SUV slammed its brakes, tires screeching violently against the gravel as it skidded to a stop just feet from the barrier.
Marcus: Get out of the car, Julian!
Marcus marched up to the driver's side door, his hands clenched into tight fists as security guards surrounded the vehicle with flashlights.
The driver's window slowly rolled down, revealing a tall man with a dark suit and a distinct jagged scar along his right jawline.
Julian: Mr. Morelli, what's the meaning of this? I was just heading out to pick up additional champagne for the toast.
Marcus: Show me your hands, Julian. Step out of the vehicle right now before my guards drag you out.
Julian: Sir, I haven't done anything wrong! I'm just following orders from the executive management team!
Marcus: Whose orders? Richard's? Or someone else's?
Julian: I don't know what you're talking about! Let me open the gate!
Marcus reached through the open window, unlocked the door from the inside, and yanked the driver's door wide open.
On the passenger seat lay a small, open black leather pouch alongside a half-empty packet of industrial white chemical powder.
Marcus: Look me in the eye and tell me what this is, Julian!
Julian: I... I was just paid to deliver a package! I didn't know what was inside!
Marcus: You put deadly poison in a cake meant for a six-year-old child and my entire family!
Julian: It wasn't my idea! He promised me two hundred thousand dollars in cash and a ticket out of the country!
Marcus: Who promised you that? Give me a name right now!
Julian: Your brother! Richard! He said he needed you out of the way before the mortgage papers were finalized tomorrow morning!