Chapter 7 - Alden’s Ultimatum and the Video Evidence
The sheer magnitude of Alden’s declaration hit the room like a shockwave. Althia let out a choked, desperate sound and collapsed heavily onto the velvet sofa, burying her face in her hands as her immaculate social standing crumbled to dust around her.
Stellin looked as though he might suffer a cardiac arrest, his chest heaving as he stared at Alden in sheer disbelief. ""You're ruining us over... over a staircase accident? Over a clumsy sister who can't watch her step?""
""It wasn't an accident, Stellin, and you know it,"" Vesper stepped in, his voice cutting through the panic like a razor. He tapped a finger against the legal binder. ""Furthermore, my firm’s forensic accountants spent the last four hours auditing Ms. Vance’s business accounts. We discovered an unauthorized debit charge of twenty-four thousand five hundred dollars transferred from Fallon’s business checking account directly to this resort’s master wedding ledger—authorized and signed off by Mrs. Althia Vance using fraudulent credentials.""
Stellin whipped his head around to stare at his wife. ""Althia? You stole from Fallon’s business?""
Althia raised her tear-stained face, her voice defensive and shrill. ""It was just a temporary loan! Sutton needed the extra floral deposit for the reception! Fallon has plenty of money from her aviation contracts! It’s all in the family!""
""It’s grand larceny and wire fraud,"" Vesper corrected coldly. ""And coupled with the aggravated assault charges stemming from Sutton physically pushing Fallon down a flight of stairs, resulting in severe bodily harm and permanent structural damage, we are looking at felony charges carrying up to ten years in federal and state penitentiary time.""
Sutton let out a blood-curdling scream and dropped to her knees on the floor of the bridal suite, her expensive Vera Wang gown pooling in the dust like discarded tissue paper.
""No! No, you can't send me to prison! I'm a bride! This is my wedding weekend!"" Sutton sobbed hysterically, grabbing at the hem of Alden’s trousers. ""Alden, please! Tell them to stop! Tell them you still love me!""
Alden looked down at her with absolute indifference, slowly pulling his leg away from her grasp.
""Sutton, the only thing I feel right now is profound disgust that I was ever blind enough to propose to you,"" Alden said quietly. ""Your cruelty isn't a quirk. It’s who you are. And today, you finally have to face the consequences.""
He turned away from her, walking over to my wheelchair. He crouched down beside me, his expression softening into genuine remorse.
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""Fallon... I am so, so sorry,"" Alden whispered, his voice thick with emotion. ""I should have seen who she was a long time ago. I let her walk all over you because I thought keeping the peace was easier. I was wrong. If there is anything I can do to help you rebuild your business, or cover your medical expenses...""
""You already did your part, Alden,"" I replied evenly, looking down at him without anger. ""You walked away. That's all the help I ever needed.""
