“It’s just condensation.”
“It’s DOT 4 brake fluid,” Ethan insisted. “A punctured hose. The pedal still feels strong now, but if you hold it down, it will sink.”
Daniel studied him.
“Marcus,” he said finally. “Get in the car. Press the brake and count to ten.”
Marcus obeyed.
“One… two… three…”
The pedal stayed firm.
“Five…”
His expression changed.
“Six…”
The pedal sank.
“Seven…”
With a dull drop, it hit the floor.
No brakes.
Marcus stepped out pale and shaking.
“The pedal… went down.”
Shock rippled through the guests.
Then Lydia shouted, “It’s a trick! The boy sabotaged the car himself!”
“I didn’t!” Ethan cried. “I saw her pay a man to do it!”
Marcus hesitated, then spoke.
“I installed a security camera in the car,” he admitted.
Daniel quickly pulled up the footage on Marcus’s phone and played it for everyone.
Lydia’s voice filled the garden:
“I want their fairy tale to end in blood and twisted steel.”
The video showed everything.
Lydia screamed in rage when the clip ended.
“Because I hate you!” she shouted at Emily. “You stole everything that should have been mine!”
Security dragged her away while the stunned guests watched.
Daniel turned to Marcus.