I saw him first—a man whose eyes were sharp and dangerous, his gaze locking onto mine. Before I could react, his hand shot out and gripped my arm, pulling me back.
“Not so fast, young lady,” he said with a smirk, amusement in his voice.
I screamed, panic rising in my chest. “Help! Somebody, help!”
His laugh was cold and detached. “Scream all you want. No one's coming. After that explosion, everyone’s too busy running for their lives. You’re stuck with me now.”
“What do you want from me?” I demanded, my voice trembling. “Are you going to kill me?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Kill you? No. I need an alibi.”
I felt my stomach twist in horror. “No. I won’t be a part of whatever this is!”
“You think you have a choice?” He tightened his grip. “You saw too much. You're not leaving until I’m done with you.”
Fury replaced my fear as I met his gaze. “Do you even know who I am? If you did, you’d think twice before using me.”
His smirk deepened. “Miss Tracie Whitaker, Europe’s wealthiest heiress.”
A cold shiver ran down my spine. How did he know?
“I’ve had my eye on you for a while,” he said. “And now you’re mine.”
Before I could reply, the door burst open, and a new figure entered—a lean man with a grim expression. “Boss, the elevator’s working. We need to move. The helicopter’s out, and the police are swarming.”
Bobbie, so that was his name, nodded. “We’ll blend with the crowd. Stick to the plan.”
He dragged me into the elevator, his men flanking us. As the doors shut, he leaned in close, his voice a quiet whisper. “Perfect crime. No one will ever tie me to this.”
“You have a witness,” I spat. “Me.”
His smirk didn’t falter. “Oh, but you wouldn’t risk your family’s reputation, would you, Miss Whitaker?”
I stiffened, glaring at him. “Why did you kill Penny? What’s your real goal here?”
He answered simply, “Justice. Do you know how many families he ruined with his scams? He got what he deserved.”
“And that justifies murder?” I snapped.
“There’s no justice in this world,” he said coldly. “Not for the poor, anyway.”
The elevator doors opened to chaos. The lobby was a scene of frantic police officers, terrified guests running in every direction, and bloodied security guards sprawled across the floor.
Bobbie tightened his grip on my arm as we navigated the madness. My mind raced, searching for a way out.
Then I saw him—Daniel. He stood protectively by Ginger, his arm around her. Her face was pale, but when her eyes found me, her expression twisted into one of fury.
“That’s her!” Ginger screamed, pointing at me. “She did this! She’s the one who killed Penny!”
My mouth dropped open in shock. “What?” I gasped.
“This is because Daniel left you, isn’t it?” Ginger sneered. “You couldn’t handle the rejection, so you killed his father!”
I turned desperately to Daniel, my voice pleading. “You know me. I wouldn’t—”
“I don’t know you,” Daniel said, his voice as cold as ice. “Not anymore.”
I slapped him across the face, the sound echoing through the chaos. “You think I’m capable of murder?” I hissed.
“Miss Tracie?” A police officer stepped forward. “We need you to come with us for questioning.”
I froze. “I didn’t do this! It was him!” I pointed at Bobbie, who stood calmly beside me, his expression amused as he watched the scene unfold.
The officer raised an eyebrow. “Him? That’s impossible. He’s Bobbie Howard.”
“So what?” I shot back.
“He’s a wealthy businessman, an Ivy League graduate, and an exceptional athlete,” the officer explained. “Why would someone like him have any reason to kill Penny Eddy?”
“And I do?” I demanded, my voice rising with frustration.
The officer didn’t flinch. “Yes, people like you always cause trouble. Now, come with us.”
Ginger smirked, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “See? Look at her. She’s wearing stolen jewelry. There’s no way she could afford that.”
“I’m not a thief!” I screamed, my voice shaking with fury. “I’m Tracie Whitaker, the daughter of Europe’s wealthiest family!”
The room went silent for a moment before a ripple of laughter spread through the crowd.
Bobbie leaned in close, his voice a mocking whisper. “See how quickly they judge? Do you understand what I mean now about justice?”
I glared at him, anger and helplessness roiling inside me. “You did this,” I said, grinding my teeth.
“No, babe,” he replied softly, his tone laced with mockery. “They did this to you because they think you’re poor.”
His words sank in like a heavy weight, crushing any hope I had left. I was trapped, and no one would believe me.
