He saw Ethan and his rage redirected. This is your fault. You show up and suddenly she finds documents that have been secure for 4 years. You planted them. You're working with her to destroy me.
Ethan kept his phone recording, voice calm in ways that only enraged Marcus further. No one planted anything, and you need to leave before building security arrives. I will take everything from you. Marcus' voice dropped to something colder than shouting. Threat delivered with precision that suggested he'd been planning this.
Your jobs, your custody, your pathetic excuse for a life. I will make sure everyone knows you're using your daughter to manipulate Victoria. That you're exploiting your dead wife to gain sympathy. That you're He stopped himself, but not fast enough. Ethan's expression must have shown something dangerous because Marcus backpedaled, recognizing line he'd just crossed.
I will destroy that little girl. Marcus's voice rose again, control slipping completely. I will make sure Child Protective Services investigates every aspect of your parenting. I will have her taken away from you. I will say that again.
Ethan's voice was deadly quiet. still recording about my daughter. My Marcus seemed to realize his mistake. The way rage had made him vocalize threats he'd meant to implement quietly, but the words were already recorded. Every syllable of Marcus threatening a 4-year-old child captured on Ethan's phone. Building security arrived.
Two men who'd been called when Marcus bypassed the front desk. They escorted him out while he continued shouting about fake evidence and conspiracies. voice echoing in the hallway even after the elevator doors closed. Ethan locked the apartment door and turned to find Victoria standing in the living room with Lily pressed against her side. His daughter was crying quietly, scared by shouting she didn't understand. And Victoria was stroking her hair with movements that suggested she'd been comforting crying children her whole life, despite never having any of her own.
"Daddy, who was that man?" Lily's voice was small. "Why was he so mad?" Ethan knelt down. eye level with his daughter. That was someone who made bad choices and is upset about consequences.
But he's gone now. Security won't let him come back. You're safe. He said mean things about you. Yes, he did.
But mean things don't change truth. I'm still your dad. Miss Victoria is still helping us. And that man doesn't get to change anything real just because he's angry. Lily nodded but clung tighter to Victoria, clearly shaken by adult rage she'd witnessed.
Ethan looked up at Victoria over his daughter's head and saw her expression. Something that mixed protective fury with dawning realization that Marcus had just handed them weapon that would end his campaign permanently. I have it recorded. Ethan kept his voice low. every threat, including the one about Lily. Victoria's voice was steady.