Chapter 4 - The UnravelingI walked toward them at a slow, deliberate pace, ignoring the gasps and murmurs from the scattered wedding guests who were beginning to recognize the tension in the air.
"Good morning, husband," I said, my voice carrying effortlessly across the quiet courtyard. I stopped three feet from their table, looking down at the scattered orange juice and the ruined breakfast spread. "Or should I call you my ex-husband? I'm never quite sure how fast legal paperwork moves in Florida compared to Illinois."
Sebastian swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing violently. He glanced around frantically, as if looking for an escape route, but David had quietly moved to block the main path leading back to the resort suites.
"Victoria, let's... let's not make a scene," Sebastian muttered, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. He took a cautious step forward, attempting to flash that boyish, disarming smile that had worked on me for nearly a decade. "I know how this looks. I can explain everything. It's... it's complicated."
"Complicated?" I raised an eyebrow, tilting my head slightly. "Sebastian, there is nothing complicated about adultery, fraud, and grand larceny. It's actually quite legally straightforward."
Alyssa finally found her voice, pushing herself out of her chair with a defensive scowl. Her southern sweetness was completely gone, replaced by the sharp, desperate edge of a cornered animal.
"You have no right to come here and ruin this!" Alyssa shrieked, clutching her stomach dramatically. "You pushed him away! You chose your stupid company over him every single day! He deserves a real family—a woman who actually loves him, not a cold corporate robot!"
"Alyssa, shut up," Sebastian hissed, his face flushing crimson as a few nearby guests turned to stare openly.
"No, I won't shut up!" Alyssa cried, turning her fury on Sebastian. "Tell her! Tell her she doesn't own you anymore! Tell her we won!"
I let out a soft, pitying sigh. I reached into my briefcase, pulled out a thick, laminated legal folder, and tossed it onto the breakfast table right beside their empty coffee cups.
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"You won what, exactly?" I asked softly.
Sebastian’s eyes dropped to the folder. Printed in bold, unyielding letters across the cover was: CARTER RESIDENTIAL HOLDINGS: NOTICE OF ASSET FREEZE AND FORECLOSURE.
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