Chapter 3: The Collapse
The wedding didn’t end.
It detonated.
Guests rushed toward exits. Phones were raised. Names were whispered like panic prayers.
Victoria stood frozen at the altar, veil trembling in her hands.
Julian wasn’t looking at her anymore.
He was looking at Eleanor like he was seeing a stranger wearing the face of someone he used to love.
Inside the penthouse suite above the chaos, the world narrowed into something smaller.
Colder.
Final.
Victoria sat on the edge of the bed, makeup streaked, breathing uneven. Julian stood by the window like he was afraid the room would swallow him whole.
Eleanor placed a folder on the glass table.
It landed with a sharp, final sound.
“Wire fraud. Attempted murder. Evidence tampering,” she said. “You signed your name on all of it.”
Victoria laughed once—broken and sharp.
“You think you’re a victim?” she snapped. “Everything I did was for this family.”
Julian turned slowly.
His voice was quiet.
“That’s not a family. That’s a crime scene.”
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Silence fell.
For the first time, Victoria had nothing to say.
