Chapter 2 - The Three-Year Secret
The room erupted into gasps, clattering silverware, and frantic whispers.
Allison clutched her groom's arm so tightly her knuckles turned white, her eyes bulging in disbelief.
"Husband?" Allison shrieked, dropping all pretense of bridal poise.
"That's impossible! Meredith lives in an ordinary brownstone in Somerville! She works as an obscure project analyst for the municipal port authority!"
"My wife is the Senior Director of Maritime Infrastructure for the Federal Commerce Task Force," Ethan replied coldly, his gaze locking onto my sister.
"She manages forty billion dollars in federal port security grants. Including the redevelopment bond that keeps your new husband's family trust from defaulting on its loans."
Bradford Wellington IV went completely white, staring at me as if I had suddenly transformed into an apparition.
My mother stepped forward, trembling from head to toe, her face contorting into desperate denial.
"Meredith, why didn't you tell us?" Patricia cried out, her voice high and shrill.
"Why would you hide a marriage to Ethan Cross for three years? We're your family!"
I looked at my mother, seeing the frantic, greedy gears turning behind her painted eyes.
She wasn't horrified by my pain; she was horrified that she had missed three years of social status, private jets, and invitations to presidential dinners.
"Because I knew you, Mother," I answered calmly, holding my head high.
"If I had told you three years ago, you would have tried to auction me off. You would have demanded Ethan finance Dad’s political campaign and fund Allison’s lavish lifestyle."
"You are our daughter!" Robert bellowed, trying to regain his commanding courtroom presence despite the sweat pouring down his forehead.
"You owed us respect! You owed your family loyalty!"
"Loyalty?" Ethan interrupted, stepping in front of me, his tall frame completely eclipsing my father.
"You charged her rent when she was nineteen while putting Allison through private finishing schools. You gave her sixteenth birthday cake to the catering staff to celebrate Allison's summer camp."
Ethan reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a sleek titanium phone.
"And ten minutes ago, you placed your hands on my wife and threw her into freezing water to entertain your corrupt social circle."
Ethan tapped the screen once, bringing up the lead agent from his personal security detail.
"Agent Vance," Ethan commanded into the receiver.
"Execute the Campbell review. Every account, every trust, and every judicial filing connected to Robert Campbell."
"Right away, Mr. Cross," a deep voice replied over the speaker.
Robert took another step back, his arrogance beginning to fray into naked, sweating panic.
"You can't do this, Cross! I am a senior partner at Campbell & Vance! I have judges on speed dial across this commonwealth!"
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"You had judges, Robert," Ethan said with a cruel, faint smile.
"By tomorrow morning, you won't even have a parking space."
