After a few more seconds, the video adjusted, and the screen was crystal clear.
“It’s on,” Catelyns voice said in the video.
My gaze immediately trailed to Catelyns, who stared at the screen with a fading smile. Marcus and Max whom were looking at her, noticed the sudden change in expression, and followed her line of vision.
“Catelyn,” Max said in the video as Marcus repeated.
The crowd was confused. That much was obvious. Everyone glanced at each other in confusion, but watched nevertheless as the colour from Catelyns face drained.
“Catelyn, this is stupid. This better get deleted after.”
Hearing his voice, Marcus narrowed his eyes as he eyed the screen. Thats when his mouth opened in shock. Realisation spread across his face and suddenly he didn’t look so confident.
“There’s been a mistake,” Marcus chuckled loudly as he tried to grab the crowds attention with a nervous laugh, talking over the video.
“So what are we celebrating too?”
This time Max gave a reaction. He must’ve remembered where the conversation in the video was leading to as he grabbed Catelyns arm and whispered furiously in her ear.
Meanwhile, the crowd simply watched, curious. All still oblivious.
“We, are celebrating to the upcoming wealth and power, that we are going to gain from this point on.”
“And how is that Max?”
“We actually murdered them!”
“Someone get this off the screen! Now!” Marcus barked in anger as he pushed people away trying to get to the stage.
“This is the best part,” Alexander whispered into my ear and I grinned.
My heart was beating wildly as I watched in anticipation.
“Wait, won’t someone know it was us who killed the Peterson’s? That we robbed them?”
At this point the crowd gasped. Mouths fell open in shock and even a few of the paparazzi’s dropped their cameras.
“I said get this off!” Marcus shouted furiously as he climbed onto the stage, searching for the power cord.
Max and Catelyn stood frozen as the two shrinked into the crowd. But all eyes were going back and fourth from them and the screen.
“We planned it and went through with it. The Jonson twins are the believed criminals. And it stays like that.”
Soon as that was said, Marcus successfully bent over and pulled out a cord.
The screen went blank.
However the crowd and paparazzi had heard it all. They all broke out into whispers and stared at the man on stage in horror.
“You killed people?” A women in a fur coat called out, terrified, as she stumbled back.
“No!” Marcus shouted as he shook his head furiously and walked closer to the crowd, as they all shuffled back.
“I said no!” He growled in anger.
I watched as the crowds chatter grew louder. Then suddenly some began yelling. Cussing even.
I watched security standing on each sides of the stage, glance at each other. They uneasily watched Marcus, and noticed how he was stirring up the crowd.
Then without wasting another second, they sprung into action.
One ran up the stage and before Marcus could make a move, grabbed his arms and pulled them behind his back.
“No wait! This is a mistake!” Marcus yelled out in panic.
The other man, calmly grabbed Max who stood there in shock, staring at Catelyn.
As Marcus was being dragged off stage his furious eyes cut to Catelyn.
“It was you, wasn’t it!” He hissed in anger.
“You did this!” Marcus barked at her as he tried to pull free, and the camera flashes went wild.
The crowd gasped and moved away from the struggling Marcus, who was being dragged away from the crowd.
“Call the cops!” The security guard holding Marcus yelled out to the other who gave him a nod.
“What!” Marcus snapped, “-there’s no need! This is a mistake! A misunderstanding! Unhand me!”
The police car must’ve been driving past, because hearing sirens and seeing flashes of light, everyone turned their heads and the paparazzi sprung from their spots, following Marcus and Max to the police cars.
“Is it true!”
“Did you really murder those people?”
“Was the business even built with your own money?”
The paparazzi fired numerous questions as they tried to work their way around the security guards and now police cars and cops.
“Now this,” Quinton said and my head snapped to his. I had forgotten Alexander and him were standing beside me.
“-is definitely something to celebrate,” he chuckled and I glanced at Alexander who watched everything with a sly grin.
I glanced around and spotted Catelyn still standing in shock at the front of the stage, alone. Everyone had moved away to watch the scene up close.
“I’ll be right back,” I gritted and didn’t wait for an answer as I held one side of my dress up off of the ground, and marched over to Catelyn.
Seeing me approach her mouth opened wide in shock. Then her eyes turned into slits.
“It was you,” she whispered in a hiss.
However I ignored her and stood close to her, my face inches away from hers.
“How dare you,” I hissed back, “-make a video like that to make it appear as if you had no part,” I said in a mere whisper but my voice was harsh.
“-you even went to such lengths to frame your own friends?” I said that part in disbelief. But then again why was I surprised? I was her friend once too. She didn’t find it that hard framing me.
“I didn’t plan this! It was you!” Catelyn shot back in her defense and I let out a cruel laugh.
“That doesn’t answer the fact that you made the video. As what? A back up plan?” I frowned and Catelyn rolled her eyes.
“Does it matter? Because of you their going to get questioned or put in jail. Not me. But wasn’t that what this was for? Revenge?” Catelyn said then suddenly smirked.
“But I must thank you, Samantha,” Catelyn smirked.
“What?” I asked puzzled.
“I had pulled out money, ready to leave. Run away. Do as I please and let Marcus know who you were before I did,” Catelyn said now with a grin and I furrowned my eyebrows ready to speak but Catelyn cut me off.
“-but if Marcus and Max do successfully get behind bars, then guess whos assigned third to take over the business?” Catelyn said her grin widening and I clenched my jaw.
“And if they don’t?” I asked trying my best not to yell or hiss.
“I’ll still have money won’t I?” Catelyn said with a giggle and I took in a sharp intake of breath.
“We’ll see what Max does when he finds out about your secret lover. A Celeste worker nevertheless,” I said and Catelyn simply shook her head with a small smile.
“And I guess we’ll see what happens when Marcus finds out your working with the Celeste himself. Oh, and that you’re Samantha.”
I clenched my fists when she said that. I was holding myself back and all I wanted to do was grab her by the neck and squeeze until all the oxygen left her body.
“Oh Catelyn. Don’t you worry. The three of you will be put behind those bars. I can promise you that,” I said with a heavy voice and Catelyn simply smirked at me.
Just as I decided I wanted to physically inflict pain on her once again, a man wearing police uniform came up to us.
“Are you miss Catelyn?” He asked Catelyn and Catelyn looked him up and down.
“Yes that’s her,” I said for her and the cop gestured her to the police car.
“We need you to come with us. Just for a statement and perhaps a few questions.”
“Oh. Of course,” Catelyn smiled. As she began walking away with the cop, she even turned her head and sent me a wink.
I felt rage like no other. I stood there frozen trying to keep my temper down.
Feeling someone graze their shoulder against mine, I looked up at Alexander with a sigh.
“Don’t worry,” he whispered.
“We’ll get what we want.”
I looked away. I glanced up at the disappearing police cars and I gritted my teeth.
I swear on my dead parents bodies, that I will have the three of you behind bars. I thought silently to myself.
The next day I sat impatiently in the living room as I waited for information from Quinton. I held a mug of coffee in my palms and after taking a sip, slowly placed it on the glass coffee table in front of me.
After last night, everyone fled the scene and left in hushed whispers and shocked looks. Witnessing one of the wealthiest men getting arrested, wasn’t something people saw everyday.
Getting home last night, I went through many media online to keep myself updated. However no information on Marcus and the others were released. It was quite obvious a few people were getting paid good money to keep their lips sealed.
After all, the less people that knew the less drama it would cause. Marcus would hate to have a bad name to his company.
Or should I say, Catelyns company.
The thought itself made me grit my teeth. All these years, and I have yet to access my own wealth that was truly my parents.
Meanwhile I was waiting, Quinton decided to run a few errands to the police station and a few law firms.
The paparazzi weren’t any help as no one, even them, could seem to find any information on Marcus’, Max’s and Catelyn’s questioning.
However I trusted Quinton had some tricks up his sleeve. That he’d be able to find the information we wanted. After all he seemed to be a fairly convincing person.
With that in mind, the door was suddenly pushed open and I shot up from my seat as Quinton stepped in, closing the door behind him, causing the keys hung behind it to rattle along with it.
He had on a grim expression and I didn’t like the look of it. Immediately I frowned.
“What? What is it?” I asked in haste, walking up to Quinton who harshly took of his blazer and chucked it on the nearest leather sofa.
“It’s worse than we thought,” Quinton mumbled and I furrowed my eyebrows.
“It’s worse? Nothing should’ve been worse to begin with,” I gritted, walking back, as I slowly sat back down, Quinton doing the same.
I was hoping everything would’ve ran smoothly. But of course with Catelyn not getting charged it was never smooth to begin with. Plus I knew it couldn’t be that easy. Not with that level of wealth.
“So?” I asked impatiently and Quinton ran a hand through his light hair.
“They’re out,” Quinton simply said with a sigh and I clenched my jaw.
“They’re out?” I repeated in a deadly tone.
“What do you mean they’re out?” I continued my voice raising a little, “-out of jail? You mean not arrested?” I fired questions as my temper rose by the second.
Quinton quickly raised his hands up in the air, in a gesture for me to both slow and calm down, before taking in a sharp intake of breath.
“Listen,” he said firmly, “-they paid alot, and I mean alot of money for bail. Not only that, their lawyer said the evidence can’t be considered as real evidence,” Quinton said then took a pause, “-considering they were drunk in the video.”
I looked at Quinton in shock.
“What? But drunk or not, they admitted to it! It shouldn’t matter! Its not like they made up stuff whilst drunk,” I tried to explain and Quinton shook his head.
“I know Victoria. But they do have a point. Truth or not.” Quinton said distastefully.
“However,” Quinton pressed and I leaned in closer.
“Yes?” I asked anxiously.
Everything coming out of his mouth was frustrating me and I listened in when his voice took in a different edge.
“Both Marcus and Max are on parole. That means, one wrong move, and they’re back in,” Quinton explained and I blew out a breath, leaning back.
I thought over what he said. We still had a chance to get them behind bars for good.
“Does Alexander know?” I asked looking up at Quinton who now grimaced.
“Not yet.”
Before I could express my anger any further, my phones loud shrill rang loudly from my purse that laid on the kitchen bench in the other room, since last night.
Quinton gave me a short nod as I got up and walked into the next room. Grabbing my purse, I pulled open the zip and glanced at the flashing screen.
Catelyn.
Catelyns name flashed across the screen with a devil emoji near it.
Immediately my eyes narrowed as I didn’t hesitate to answer my phone.
“What do you want?” I hissed into the receiver as I walked back to the living room.
Quinton must’ve heard me as he raised an eyebrow up at me.
Hearing shuffling on the other end, I slowed down my walking and came to a pause.
“This is why you pulled out the money?” Marcus’ furious voice said from a distance and my breathing stopped.
I hurriedly put the phone on speaker and silently walked near Quinton, stiffly taking a seat beside him.
“-so what? You could run away? But then thought, hey, maybe I could stay and keep the business instead?” His furious voice continued and Quinton’s eyebrows shot up.
Just then the front door opened and Alexander appeared in perfect timing.
He stepped in and closed the door as he walked in without bothering to glance up.
“So whats the news?” Alexander asked.
When no one answered, Alexander looked up confused and saw us motion him too stay quite.
“No Marcus! I swear! It wasn’t me. Yes, I admit, I was planning on running away… theres someone else, but this wasn’t me!” Catelyn rushed out in plea.
When Alexander heard Marcus’ name and heard Catelyns voice he inched closer and furrowed his eyebrows.
“Why’d you even have it Catelyn!” Marcus barked and we heard more shuffling.
“As back up! I admit it! But I didn’t show it!” Catelyn yelled back.
“Then who!” Marcus shouted.
“Oh no,” Quinton breathed and Alexander slowly sat on the other side of me.
“You’re never going to believe me,” Catelyn said breathlessly.
“Marcus it was her. Its Victoria,” Catelyn said in all seriousness and I squeezed my eyes shut.
“Shit,” I whispered.
“What?” Marcus replied, sounding confused as Alexander softly grabbed my hand into his.
“She did it Marcus. Shes not who you think she is,” Catelyn stressed out and I clutched the phone tightly as Quinton and Alexander both glanced at each other.
“Don’t do it,” Alexander whispered.
“Shes going to do it,” Quinton said holding his breath.
“Marcus. Its her. Victoria is Samantha. Samantha Peterson!” Catelyn cried out and suddenly Marcus became silent.
I was positive he hadn’t heard that name in a long time.
“What did you just say?” Marcus’ deadly voice asked.
“Victoria Strikings is Samantha Peterson.”
And just before Alexander, Quinton and I could hear Marcus’ reaction,
Catelyn purposely ended the call.