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“Play the footage from eleven days ago.”
The ballroom went silent.
The screen showed a hallway.
Then Lily appeared.
A tiny blur in a pink dress.
She followed a red crayon.
The crayon disappeared beneath a door.
Lily opened it.
The video showed Vanessa inside.
Christian stood beside her.
His hand was resting on Vanessa’s waist.
The room erupted.
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Christian was standing near the back of the ballroom.
His face was drained of color.
I looked directly at him.
“Come here.”
He didn’t move.
My security team stepped forward.
Christian slowly walked toward me.
“Ethan…”
I held up my hand.
“Don’t lie.”
He stopped.
I looked at Vanessa.
“Did you know him before me?”
She stared at the floor.
“Yes.”
“Were you still involved with him after we became engaged?”
Silence.
“Vanessa.”
“Yes.”
A collective gasp filled the room.
I felt strangely calm.
“Were you planning to marry me for my money?”
She started crying.
“No.”
Christian suddenly spoke.
“Yes.”
Vanessa turned toward him.
“Christian!”
He looked terrified.
“She told me everything.”
I stared at him.
“Everything?”
He nodded.
“She said your company was worth billions. She said your prenup was weak. She said once you married her, she could gain access to your investment accounts.”
I looked at Vanessa.
She was crying now.
But I felt nothing.
Then Christian said the sentence that changed everything.
“She wasn’t going to stay married to you.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“She was going to divorce you after eighteen months.”
The ballroom went silent.
Christian continued.