Chapter 6: The Wedding Was Never About Love
Alexander looked at Brianna as though the woman standing in front of him had become a stranger.
“Tell me that's not true.””
Brianna's lips trembled.
“Alex, please.””
“Tell me you didn't know you were pregnant before we got married.””
She looked toward Victoria.
That was enough.
Alexander took a step backward.
“Oh, my God.””
Victoria immediately intervened.
“Alexander, you need to understand that Brianna was frightened. She was young, overwhelmed, and dealing with a difficult situation.””
“She was twenty-six.””
“She needed stability.””
Alexander stared at her.
“Stability?””
Victoria folded her arms.
“You have a successful career. You come from a respectable family. You wanted children. Brianna believed you would give her a secure future.””
Alexander looked at his wife.
“Was that why you married me?””
Brianna started crying.
“No. I loved you.””
“Then why didn't you tell me?””
“I thought the baby was yours.””
“Thought?””
She shook her head.
“I didn't know exactly when it happened.””
Alexander gave a hollow laugh.
“You had an entire medical appointment scheduled before our wedding.””
“I was going to tell you!””
“When?””
Brianna couldn't answer.
Richard turned toward Victoria.
“You arranged the marriage.””
Victoria's face hardened.
“I introduced them.””
“You pushed them together.””
“I wanted my daughter to have a good life!””
Richard pointed toward the photographs.
“While she was carrying another man's child?””
Victoria raised her voice.
“You think you can judge me? You spent years making sure your own children competed for your approval. Daniel got everything.
Thomas got nothing. And Evelyn was always the precious little girl everyone had to protect!””
Richard's face became rigid.
“That is not an excuse for what you did.””
Victoria laughed bitterly.
“You don't understand what it was like living in this family.””
Thomas stepped forward.
“I understand perfectly.””
Victoria turned toward him.
“You were given opportunities too.””
“I was given responsibilities without control. Daniel was given shares. Brianna was promised access to money that didn't belong to her.””
Brianna looked at her mother.
“You told me Grandpa was going to give me part of the company.””
Victoria's eyes narrowed.
“I told you there might be opportunities.””
“You said I would have a future there!””
Thomas shook his head.
“Not if Evelyn inherited Daniel's voting shares.””
Brianna stared at him.
“So that's what this is about?””
Thomas nodded.
“Your mother needed someone who could influence the trust. She believed marrying you to Alexander would give her access to another powerful family.””
Alexander looked stunned.
“Wait. My family?””
Richard glanced toward him.
“Your father and I have known each other for decades.””
Alexander nodded.
“I know.””
Thomas continued.
“The plan was to secure the marriage, establish financial ties between the families, and use Brianna's position to gain influence over the inheritance.””
Alexander turned toward Brianna.
“Did you know about this?””
She shook her head.
“Not at first.””
“Not at first?””
Brianna wiped her cheeks.
“My mother told me the family needed to stay united. She said Evelyn would never be able to manage the shares and that someone responsible should take control.””
Evelyn stared at her.
“You mean you?””
Brianna looked down.
“I didn't know everything.””
Evelyn's voice was quiet.
“You knew enough to let me believe I had nothing.””
Brianna began crying harder.
“I'm sorry.””
Evelyn looked toward the photographs of her father.
“Did you ever ask yourself what he wanted?””
Brianna said nothing.
“Did you ever wonder why he created that trust?””
“Evelyn—”
“He wanted me to have a life. He wanted me to be independent. And you and your mother were discussing how to take it away.””
Victoria suddenly slammed her handbag onto the table.
“Enough!””
Everyone turned.
“I will not sit here while a girl who has never had to work for anything lectures me about sacrifice!””
Marcus moved forward.
“Careful.””
Victoria ignored him.
“Do you know what I gave up to become part of this family? Do you know how many years I spent smiling while Richard treated me like an outsider?””
Richard stared at her.
“I gave you a home.””
“You gave me rules!””
“I gave your daughter opportunities.””
“You gave Daniel everything!””
Thomas stepped between them.
“Daniel earned what he had.””
Victoria's eyes flashed.
“He was the favorite!””
Richard's voice dropped.
“Daniel was my son. You were my son's wife. I treated you with respect.””
Victoria laughed.
“Respect? You never trusted me.””
Richard looked at the bank documents.
“Perhaps I was right not to.””
Brianna suddenly grabbed the edge of the table.
“Mom, stop. Please.””
Victoria turned toward her.
“Don't tell me what to do.””
“I'm trying to save my marriage!””
Victoria stared at her.
“Your marriage is the only reason you have a place in this family.””
Alexander removed his wedding ring.
He placed it on the table.
The tiny metallic sound seemed louder than every argument that had come before it.
Brianna froze.
“Alex?””
He looked at her.
“I need space.””
“Don't do this.””
“You lied to me before we were married. You lied about another man. You let me believe I was preparing to become a father without telling me there was a possibility the child wasn't mine.””
He glanced at Victoria.
“And apparently, this marriage was part of a financial arrangement.””
Brianna reached for him.
“Please. I love you.””
Alexander stepped away.
“I don't know who you are anymore.””
He turned toward the ballroom doors.
Brianna hurried after him.
“Alexander!””
He stopped but didn't turn.
She lowered her voice.
“Please don't leave me like this.””
He looked over his shoulder.
“You left me the day you decided I didn't deserve the truth.””
Then he walked out.
Brianna stood motionless.
Victoria rushed toward her.
“Let him go. He'll calm down.””
Brianna turned.
“You promised me he would never find out.””
Victoria's face tightened.
“Lower your voice.””
“You said the documents were handled!””
“Brianna.””
“You said Derek wouldn't cause problems!””
Richard looked sharply toward them.
“Derek?””
Brianna realized what she had said.
Thomas slowly opened his briefcase again.
“What exactly did Derek promise you?””
Brianna looked at the floor.
Victoria grabbed her arm.
“Don't answer.””
Richard moved closer.
“Victoria, let go of her.””
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then Brianna pulled her arm free.
“I can't keep doing this.””
Victoria stared at her daughter.
“What are you talking about?””
Brianna took a shaking breath.
“Derek told me everything was arranged. He said the money would be moved before Evelyn turned twenty-five. He said Mom had someone inside the company helping him.””
Thomas frowned.
“Who?””
Brianna looked toward Victoria.
“She said it was Uncle Thomas.””
Thomas went completely still.
Richard's eyes narrowed.
“Is that true?””
Thomas shook his head.
“No.””
Brianna continued.
“Mom told me Thomas had approved the transfers. She said he would take responsibility if anything went wrong.””
Thomas stepped toward her.
“Brianna, I approved the first transactions believing they were legitimate. I did not authorize the later transfers.””
Brianna covered her mouth.
Victoria glared at her.
“That's enough.””
But Brianna wasn't finished.
“She also told me Derek had the original trust documents.””
Richard looked toward the silver key.
“Why?””
“Because he was supposed to destroy them.””
Evelyn felt a cold shiver.
“Destroy my father's documents?””
Brianna nodded.
“He said once the original documents were gone, nobody could prove what Daniel had intended.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Where is Derek now?””
Brianna looked toward the ballroom entrance.
“I don't know.””
Thomas closed his briefcase.
“Then we need to find him.””
Richard turned toward the assistant.
“Contact our attorneys. I want a formal preservation order prepared immediately.””
The assistant nodded.
“And the police?””
Richard glanced toward the documents.
“Yes. Give them everything we have.””
Victoria suddenly laughed.
“You really think you can send me to prison?””
Richard looked at her.
“If the evidence establishes that you committed a crime, that decision will not be mine.””
Victoria reached for her handbag.
“You're making a mistake.””
She turned toward the exit.
This time, nobody stopped her.
But as she reached the doors, her phone began ringing.
She glanced at the screen.
Her expression changed.
She answered.
“Not now.””
A man's voice came through loudly enough for the people nearest her to hear.
“Victoria, we have a problem.””
She turned away from the room.
“What?””
“Someone accessed the archive.””
Victoria's hand tightened around the phone.
“Who?””
“I don't know. But they found the second file.””
Her face went pale.
“What second file?””
There was a pause.
Then the man spoke again.
“The one Daniel recorded before he died.””
Victoria looked toward Evelyn.
For the first time, she appeared unable to breathe.
“Delete it,” she whispered.
“It's too late.””
Victoria closed her eyes.
The call ended.
Richard approached her.
“Who was that?””
Victoria put her phone into her handbag.
“Nobody.””
Thomas stared at her.
“Who has the recording?””
Victoria said nothing.
Evelyn leaned forward.
“What recording?””
Richard turned toward her.
“Victoria?””
The older woman looked at Evelyn.
Then she whispered something that made the entire room freeze.
“Your father didn't die immediately after the accident.””
Evelyn's blood ran cold.
“What?””
Victoria's eyes filled.
“He was alive when the paramedics arrived.””
Richard gripped his cane.
“I was told he died at the scene.””
Victoria shook her head.
“He was taken to the hospital.””
Evelyn stared at her.
“Why didn't I know?””
Victoria looked away.
“Because he asked to see someone before he died.””
“Who?””
Victoria swallowed.
Then she looked directly at Richard.
“He asked to see you.””
Richard's face collapsed.
Evelyn felt the room disappear around her.
“Grandpa?””
Richard didn't answer.
He was staring at Victoria as if he had just heard the most terrible sentence of his life.
Victoria continued.
“And when you arrived at the hospital, Daniel was still conscious.””
Richard's lips trembled.
“What did he tell me?””
Victoria shook her head.
“You know what he told you.””
Richard took a step backward.
His cane struck the floor.
Once.
Twice.
Then he whispered:
“He told me to protect Evelyn.””
Victoria nodded.
“And you promised him.””
Evelyn looked at her grandfather.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
Richard closed his eyes.
“Because I thought I had.””
Thomas stepped forward.
“Father, what happened in that hospital room?””
Richard opened his eyes.
There were tears in them.
And before he could answer, the assistant's phone rang.
He checked the screen.
Then hurried toward Richard.
“Sir, the hospital archive has responded to our inquiry.””
Richard turned.
“What did they find?””
The assistant looked at Evelyn.
“They found a recording from Daniel Carter's final hours.””
He swallowed.
“And there's a second voice on it.””
Evelyn gripped the armrests.
“Whose voice?””
May you like
The assistant looked toward Richard.
“Your grandfather's.””
