Chapter 8 - THE BRIDE WHO WALKED AWAY
The guests were asked to remain in the ballroom.
Some complained.
Most stayed willingly.
Nobody wanted to leave.
Meline went upstairs.
For the first time all day, she was alone.
She stood in the bridal suite and removed her veil.
Her hands finally shook.
Not because she doubted what she had done.
Because the adrenaline was wearing off.
She had imagined discovering betrayal before.
She had imagined Jason cheating.
She had imagined her parents demanding money.
She had never imagined all of them conspiring at once.
A soft knock sounded.
Terrence entered.
Meline looked at him through the mirror.
“I thought you left.”
“I did.”
He sat near the window.
“Then I realized running away wouldn’t change anything.”
Neither spoke for a moment.
Finally, Terrence said, “I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t do anything.”
“I defended Sydney to you.”
Meline turned.
“She complained about you constantly.”
“I told you she was just insecure.”
“You weren’t wrong.”
Terrence laughed without humor.
“No.”
“I was stupid.”
Meline sat across from him.
“We both trusted people we loved.”
Terrence stared at his hands.
“I keep doing math.”
“What?”
“Dates.”
He swallowed.
“Trips.”
“Late nights.”
“Every time she said she was with you.”
Meline felt sick.
Sydney had used her name as cover.
Terrence continued.
“I asked her six months ago if something was wrong.”
“She kissed me and told me I worked too much.”
His eyes filled, but he refused to cry.
“What happens now?”
Meline understood he was not asking about the wedding.
“Get a lawyer.”
“I already called one.”
“Good.”
“And the baby?”
Meline hesitated.
“That decision is bigger than today.”
Terrence nodded.
“I know.”
He stood.
Then he paused.
“There’s something you should know.”
Meline waited.
“Last year, Sydney asked me about your company.”
“What?”
“She wanted to know if you owned stock.”
Meline felt the air shift.
“What did you tell her?”
“That you once mentioned having equity somewhere.”
Terrence frowned.
“I thought it was employee stock.”
Meline thought about Cerberus Digital Holdings.
Someone had discovered the holding company.
Maybe Sydney had started looking much earlier than Meline realized.
“When was this?”
“September.”
Months before Robert officially claimed his company needed emergency financing.
Meline’s phone buzzed.
A message from Malcolm.
Found possible source of Cerberus leak.
Need you downstairs.
Meline looked at Terrence.
“The loan wasn’t the beginning.”
“What do you mean?”
“I think they were studying my finances for almost a year.”
Terrence’s expression darkened.
“You think Jason targeted you before the business was in trouble?”
Meline stood.
“I think I’m about to find out.”
She changed out of her wedding gown.
Twenty minutes later, she returned downstairs wearing black trousers, a white blouse, and the same expression she wore when entering a hostile boardroom.
May you like
The bride was gone.
The CEO had arrived.
