The laughter echoed across the beach, a bitter symphony that seemed to mock the unraveling of the carefully woven tapestry of my life. Zaff's amusement at the revelation was palpable, and his words carried a weight that sank deep into the recesses of my conscience.

"You haven't changed a bit since high school, Marcus," Zaff chuckled, wiping away tears of laughter. "You just signed your own death warrant. Livia is going to bury you alive for this one. You've really outdone yourself."