Chapter 6 - Scraps and Evidence
Three days after the non-wedding, the story was still trending globally on social media.
Video clips filmed by guests at the altar had gone wildly viral on TikTok and Twitter, garnering tens of millions of views under hashtags like #BrideExposesGroom and #VanceTrustJustice. Memes of Daniel cowering on the floor while I stood over him in my white cape were everywhere.
I was sitting in the sunlit study of my apartment, sipping tea, when my lawyer, Sarah Jenkins, walked in carrying a heavy leather briefcase.
“Morning, Emily,” Sarah said, setting the briefcase on the desk. “I have updates from the District Attorney’s office.”
“How is our dear Daniel holding up in county jail?” I asked.
“Not well,” Sarah replied with a cold grin. “His bail was set at $500,000 due to flight risk concerns, and since all his personal and business accounts are frozen, he couldn't find a bondsman willing to touch him. He’s stuck inside.”
“And Vanessa?”
“Her family managed to post her bail, but she’s facing felony burglary, grand destruction of property over $50,000, and conspiracy,” Sarah explained, pulling out a sheaf of papers. “Her lawyer tried to reach out yesterday offering an apology and asking if you’d consider dropping the civil damages for the heirloom gown.”
I raised an eyebrow. “An apology? For razor-blading 1952 Lyon lace and writing threats on my mirror?”
“I told them you’d see them in court,” Sarah said smoothly. “However, there’s something else you need to see. The forensic team finished analyzing Daniel’s secondary laptops seized from his apartment.”
Sarah placed a tablet on the desk and tapped a file.
“Daniel wasn't working alone, Emily.”
I paused, setting my teacup down. “What do you mean?”
“The embezzled funds from his firm weren't just going to Cayman shell accounts for his personal use,” Sarah explained, her expression turning serious. “He was funneling information regarding Vance Global Development’s confidential land acquisitions to a rival firm—Blackwood Holdings.”
My eyes narrowed. Blackwood Holdings was our primary corporate competitor, led by Julian Blackwood—a ruthless billionaire who had been trying to outbid my father for the waterfront development project downtown for over three years.
“Julian Blackwood was paying Daniel a finder's fee for internal documents,” Sarah revealed. “Daniel wasn't just planning to divorce you and take half your trust. He was actively trying to bankrupt your father’s company from the inside so Blackwood could buy the assets for pennies on the dollar.”
A cold fire ignited in my chest.
It wasn't just about a cheap affair or a greedy guy trying to grab trust fund money. Daniel was an corporate asset planted in my life to destroy my family’s legacy.
“Julian Blackwood,” I murmured, leaning back in my chair. “That’s why Vanessa came to the wedding with Julian’s cousin.”
“Exactly,” Sarah confirmed. “They were all interconnected. Daniel was the inside man, Vanessa was his unstable handler, and Blackwood was funding the entire operation.”
I looked at the tablet screen, scrolling through the encrypted emails between Daniel and Blackwood’s representatives.
They thought they had engineered a masterclass takeover. They thought they had exploited a vulnerable heiress to tear down Vance Global Development.
“Sarah,” I said, looking up with a razor-sharp smile.
“Yes, Emily?”
“Schedule a private meeting with Julian Blackwood.”
May you like
“On what grounds? He’ll never accept a meeting with you right now.”
“He will,” I replied, tapping the tablet. “Because I’m going to offer him the one thing he’s been trying to buy for three years... and then I’m going to strip him of everything he owns.”
