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The morning sun filtered through the centuries-old stained glass of St. Jude’s Cathedral, casting jagged patterns of sapphire and crimson across the polished mahogany pews. / Chapter 3 / 30

Chapter 3 - THE BRIDE’S DRESS AND THE HIDDEN LEDGERSHigh above the sanctuary in the bridal suite of St. Jude’s, Lauren Vance stood before a full-length mirror, smoothing the layers of French lace and imported silk that made up her ten-thousand-dollar wedding gown. Her hair was swept up in an intricate chignon, held together by diamond-encrusted pins that sparkled under the vanity lights.

She looked breathtaking. But her hands, resting against her slightly rounded stomach, were trembling.

The door creaked open, and her mother, Eleanor Vance, stepped into the room, holding a crystal flute of sparkling cider.

You look stunning, darling, Eleanor whispered, handing her daughter the glass. Ryan is pacing downstairs like a caged animal, but that’s just nerves. Everything is falling into place. Vance-Brooks Enterprises is legally incorporated, the funding from the offshore accounts cleared this morning, and by noon, you’ll be a legal co-owner of his entire portfolio.

Lauren took a sip of the cider, though it tasted like ash in her mouth. Mother... did you verify the transfer records from the grandmother’s trust? Mia Carter’s inheritance?

Eleanor’s smile faltered for a fraction of a second, her eyes darting toward the closed door. Of course I verified them. It was funneled through three shell companies in the Caymans before landing in Ryan’s commercial real estate account. No one traces money like that. Especially not a quiet, broken girl like Mia.

She’s not broken, Mother, Lauren said, her voice dropping to a nervous whisper. You didn't hear her voice on the phone yesterday when Ryan called her. She didn't cry. She didn't beg. She laughed.

Eleanor scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. She’s bluffing, Lauren. Women like Mia fold the second real power enters the room. She spent seven years failing to give Ryan an heir while you gave him what he actually wanted—a dynasty. Now finish your drink, fix your lipstick, and let’s go marry a millionaire.

Lauren stared at her reflection, a cold knot tightening in her stomach. She thought back to the flowers she had sent Mia after the divorce—Some women are chosen. At the time, it had felt like the ultimate victory. But standing here, dressed in white with stolen money funding her fairytale, a dark, suffocating dread settled over her chest.

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The pressurized air of the cabin suddenly felt thick, heavy, and suffocating. My lungs burned as I fought the urge to grab Julie by her linen collar and force the rest of the truth out of her right there at thirty thousand feet.

The pressurized air of the cabin suddenly felt thick, heavy, and suffoca...

The heavy oak door of the master suite swung wider, letting out a sharp draft of chilled air that smelled faintly of expensive bourbon and cold rain. Lorenzo Moretti did not blink.

The heavy oak door of the master suite swung wider, letting out a sharp...

The rain in the lower district did not fall; it drifted like smoke, slicking the asphalt and carrying the smell of coal smoke and rotting citrus from the wholesale market two blocks down.

The rain in the lower district did not fall; it drifted like smoke, slic...

Downstairs, the organ began to play its low, resonant prelude.

It’s time, Eleanor whispered, squeezing Lauren’s shoulder. Take a deep breath. You’ve won.

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Chapter 4 - THE ARRIVAL AT ST. JUDE’SThe black Mercedes-Benz slid quietly to a stop across the street from St. Jude’s Cathedral. The rain had cleared, leaving the wet cobblestones gleaming under the midday sun. Valet attendants in crisp black suits were rushing back and forth, parking luxury vehicles while paparazzi snapped photos of local Chicago elites streaming through the cathedral doors.
Chapter 5 - THE PROCESSION INTERRUPTEDInside the cathedral, the air was thick with the scent of white lilies and burning frankincense. Two hundred high-society guests sat in absolute silence, turning their heads as the organ swelled to its crescendo.
Chapter 6 - THE PATERNITY BOMBThe silence in St. Jude’s Cathedral became absolute—a heavy, suffocating vacuum where nobody dared to breathe.
Chapter 7 - THE FALL OF AN EMPIREPanic erupted inside St. Jude’s Cathedral.
Chapter 8 - THE RECKONING AT THE DRAKE HOTELBy one o'clock in the afternoon, the grand ballroom of the Drake Hotel—booked for three hundred guests, lavish floral arrangements, and a five-tier wedding cake—was completely empty.
Chapter 9 - THE NEW DAWN AT GREENWICHTwo weeks later, the crisp Chicago air gave way to a brilliant Indian summer afternoon.

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