Chapter 4 - The House of Cards Collapses
“Three years,” Thomas muttered, shaking his head in denial, sweat pouring down his forehead. “That’s... that’s impossible. You’re Reyes Capital! You own half of silicon valley and global shipping! Why would a billionaire marry... her?”
“Because,” Daniel said, his voice echoing with absolute authority, “unlike everyone in this toxic room, Meredith possesses intelligence, loyalty, and a spine of pure steel. She chose to keep our marriage private because she wanted to see how long her biological family could maintain their cruel charade before their own greed destroyed them.”
Daniel turned his icy gaze back to Thomas, his eyes narrowing. “And speaking of destruction... Thomas, you made a grave mistake tonight. You didn't just push my wife into a fountain. You assaulted a principal shareholder of Reyes Global.”
Thomas’s knees buckled. “A... a what?”
“Did you really think I invested twenty million dollars into your commercial real estate firm last month out of pure charity?” Daniel asked, a cruel, mirthless smile touching his lips. “Meredith owns seventy percent of your company through a silent holding trust. Every building you own, every commercial loan you’ve taken out, every asset you possess—it all belongs to her.”
The blood drained entirely from Thomas’s face. He looked like a man who had just been sentenced to the electric chair. He grabbed the edge of the wedding cake table to steady himself, knocking over a tier of decorative macaron towers.
“No... no, no, you can't do that!” Thomas cried out, his voice cracking into a pathetic whine. “Meredith, tell him! We’re family! We raised you!”
“You didn't raise me, Thomas,” I said, stepping out from behind Daniel, my head held high, my blood-red lips parting into a cold smile. “You imprisoned me. You used me as a punching bag to elevate Allison, and you thought you could humiliate me forever. But the bill has finally arrived.”
Allison burst into violent, ugly tears, marching over to pummel her fists against her brand-new husband’s chest. “Chad! Do something! Our entire wedding was funded by my dad’s company! If they own his company, we’re broke! We’re bankrupt!”
Chad looked at Allison with absolute disgust, stepping back and brushing her hands away. “We’re getting an annulment tomorrow, Allison. I didn't marry into a family of broke, abusive frauds.”
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Eleanor shrieked, collapsing into the arms of a terrified bridesmaid as the entire illusion of the Vance family’s high-society perfection disintegrated into a smoking crater in real-time.
Daniel slid his arm securely around my waist, pulling me tight against his side. “Come on, my love,” he whispered softly, his tone completely shifting from a ruthless titan to a devoted husband. “Let’s leave these peasants to their wreckage. Our private jet is waiting.”
