60 Seconds to Justice

As the agents led a trembling Preston toward the main doors, Jessica snapped. She lunged toward me, her expensive white satin gown rustling aggressively, her face twisted in rage.

"You ruined my life!" she screamed, her voice cracking with hysteria. "You ruined my engagement! You jealous, vindictive bitch! You brought federal agents into my party because you couldn't stand seeing me happy!"

I didn't flinch. I stood my ground, my posture straight, shoulders back.

"I didn't ruin your life, Jessica," I said steadily. "Preston did. And if you had spent five minutes looking past his tailored suits and his expensive car, you would have seen it too. But you were too busy looking down on me."

"He loved me!" she cried, tears ruining her flawless makeup.

"He used you," I corrected her gently, though my eyes remained cold. "He needed the Vance family name to legitimize his shell company. He used Dad's reputation to clear background checks for government clearance. You weren't his fiancée, Jessica. You were his cover story."

My father stepped forward, his corporate composure completely shattered. "Mackenzie... if Preston’s company falls, Vance Logistics goes down with it. We signed co-guarantee agreements for his federal bids! Do you have any idea what this means for us? For my company?"

I looked at my father, seeing him clearly perhaps for the first time in my life. He didn't care that his daughter had almost married a federal criminal. He didn't care that lives had been put at risk. He only cared about his company’s stock price and his position at the country club.

"I know exactly what it means, Dad," I said. "Because I reviewed every single one of those contracts. Vance Logistics is facing millions in federal fines for gross negligence. You were so eager to secure a rich son-in-law that you didn't even perform basic due diligence."

"You... you knew?" my father whispered, the reality finally crashing over him. "You let this happen?"

"I gave you multiple warnings over the past six months," I replied, my voice dropping to a harsh whisper. "I called you three times asking to look over Apex Capital's filings. You told me I was a foolish military girl who didn't understand high finance. You told me to stay out of adult business."