Chapter 2 - The Mask Remains On

I waited twenty agonizing minutes until all three of them left the suite to head down to the hotel's VIP lounge for late-night drinks. The moment the heavy door clicked shut, I slid out from underneath the bed.

Dust covered my pristine, million-dollar custom Vera Wang bridal gown. My veil was crumpled. But as I stood up and faced the floor-to-ceiling mirror, I didn't see a broken bride. I saw Emma Carter, heiress to Apex Development.

My phone buzzed in my hand. It was a text from my father, Richard Carter.

Father: Your beacon went off. Are you in danger? Do I mobilize the legal team?

I took a deep breath, staring at my reflection. My hands were steady now.

Emma: No violence. No sudden moves yet, Dad. Ethan, Vanessa, and his mistress Chloe are trying to steal the Oakwood penthouse and frame me for fraud. They think I'm a broke orphan.

Father: They have five minutes before I incinerate their entire bloodline commercially.

Emma: Wait. I want them to build their trap entirely. I want them to feel like they are winning right up until the second the floor collapses under them. Activate Project Blackout. Pull up every asset, every debt, and every dark secret Ethan Vance and his family possess.

Father: Understood. The hounds are unleashed.

Ten minutes later, I washed the dust off my hands, fixed my hair, and stepped into the elevator. When I walked into the dimly lit VIP lounge, Ethan was sitting at a corner booth with Vanessa and Chloe. They were laughing over a bottle of vintage Dom Pérignon—bought, naturally, on my credit card.

"Emma!" Ethan gasped, his face instantly shifting from smug predator to loving husband. He slid out of the booth and rushed toward me, taking my hands with frantic concern. "Where were you, sweetheart? I came back to the room and you were gone! I was worried sick!"

I looked into his eyes—the same eyes I had fallen in love with two years ago at a humble coffee shop—and forced a sweet, innocent smile onto my face.

"Oh, darling, I'm so sorry," I said softly, letting my voice tremble just enough to sound vulnerable. "I felt a bit dizzy after the reception, so I went to the hotel's lower terrace to get some fresh air. I must have lost track of time."

Vanessa rolled her eyes behind Ethan's back, taking a slow sip of her champagne. "Really, Emma, you shouldn't wander off like that on your wedding night. People might think you lack manners."

"I'm sorry, Mother," I meekly replied, lowering my head. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble."

Chloe smirked from the corner of the booth, resting her hand surreptitiously over her stomach. "You really ought to be more careful, Emma. Stress isn't good for a family."

"You're right, Chloe," I said, meeting her gaze with an expression of pure, unadulterated ignorance. "Ethan has told me so much about how close you two are as 'cousins.' I'm so glad you could be here to celebrate our special night."

Ethan flashed a quick, nervous glance at Chloe before smoothing down his suit jacket. "Anyway, sweetheart, now that you're here, we should talk about the Oakwood Hills property. My mother mentioned that the tax paperwork needs an immediate signature before tomorrow morning's county deadline. I have the documents right here in my briefcase."

He was moving fast. He wanted to lock down the fraudulent transfer before the weekend ended.

"Oh, right now?" I asked, widening my eyes. "On our wedding night?"

"It will only take a second, darling," Ethan coaxed, pulling out a thick sheath of legal papers and a silver pen. "Just sign on the dotted lines on pages 12, 14, and 18. It assigns the administrative management of the property to my family trust, just to make sure you aren't burdened with the legal stress."

I took the pen. Vanessa leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with predatory greed. Chloe held her breath.

I hovered the pen over the paper, my hand shaking slightly.

"Is everything okay, Emma?" Ethan asked, a sharp edge entering his voice.

"Oh, yes," I murmured, placing the pen down. "It's just... my head is spinning, Ethan. Can I sign it first thing in the morning over breakfast? I promise I'll sign whatever you want then."

May you like

The burner phone in my hand felt heavy, like a slab of cold iron pulled...

The man in the back of the Bentley was not a stranger, though it took me...

The ink on the medical schedule wasn't standard printer black. It was da...

Ethan’s jaw tightened, anger flickering behind his fake smile for a split second before he forced himself to nod. "Of course, my love. Anything you want. Let's go up to bed."

They thought they had me right where they wanted me. They didn't realize that every hour they gave me was another nail in their legal coffins.