Chapter 3 - THE SEEDS OF TREACHERY
Adrian spent the next two hours on his knees, literally cleaning up the shattered china and wiping espresso off the baseboards.
I sat at the kitchen island, watching him quietly as I drank a fresh cup of tea.
“Maya, I swear to you, I didn't know she was going to bring the whole extended family,” Adrian pleaded, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. “She told me she was coming over for breakfast to drop off a wedding gift. When they all showed up, I was paralyzed.”
“You weren't paralyzed, Adrian,” I said smoothly. “You were waiting to see if they could successfully break my spirit so I’d be easier for you to manage.”
“That’s not true!”
“Isn't it?” I set my teacup down with a soft click. “Rule five on their little list was about consolidating my assets into your trust fund. You didn't look surprised when your uncle read that line. In fact, you nodded.”
Adrian stiffened. The lie caught in his throat.
“You thought I was just a comfortably wealthy girl with a good salary,” I continued. “You thought my grandfather left me a modest sum, and you wanted your family to help you secure control over it. You didn't realize that my 'modest sum' commands controlling shares in three major logistics firms, two tech incubators, and the very commercial development firm that holds the mortgage on your father’s business headquarters.”
Adrian dropped the paper towels in his hand. His cowardly demeanor shifted slightly, a flicker of resentment sparking in his eyes. “So what? You set a trap for me? You lied about who you were for two years?”
“I didn't lie. I just didn't brag,” I replied. “There’s a difference. A man of character doesn't care about his wife’s family fortune. But you... you and your mother have been planning a financial takeover from day one.”
My phone buzzed on the counter. It was a text from my personal security chief, Marcus:
‘Veronica Vale just made a private appointment with Arthur's former estate attorney, Harold Vance. She’s trying to dig up your prenuptial terms.’
I smiled faintly. Veronica was relentless. Even after knowing who I was, her greed was overpowering her common sense. She wasn't terrified of my power; she was trying to figure out how to steal a piece of it.
“Where are you going?” Adrian asked as I stood up and pulled a trench coat from the closet.
“I have a meeting with my legal team,” I said. “And while I’m gone, I suggest youpack a bag.”
Adrian froze. “What? You’re kicking me out?”
“No, Adrian. I’m giving you a choice,” I said, walking to the front door. “You can stay here and figure out whether you are a husband or Veronica’s puppet. But if you are still here when I get back, you had better be ready to sign a revised, airtight agreement regarding your family’s total exclusion from my affairs.”
I walked out to my black SUV, where Marcus opened the door for me.
As we pulled out of the driveway, Marcus glanced at me in the rearview mirror. “Miss Vance, your mother-in-law is moving fast. She’s already contacting board members of the Vale Enterprise group. Word on the street is they are facing massive liquidity problems. They were relying on Adrian’s marriage to secure a safety net.”
“So that was the game,” I muttered, looking out the window as the city skyline approached. “They thought they were marrying a rich girl to save their sinking ship.”
“Exactly,” Marcus replied. “And now that Veronica knows you have real money, she won't stop until she finds a loophole.”
“Then let’s give her one,” I said, a dangerous plan forming in my mind. “Marcus, contact legal. Tell them to drop a hint to Harold Vance about a 'vulnerability' in my prenuptial agreement.”
May you like
Marcus blinked. “A vulnerability, ma'am? Why?”
“Because,” I said, smiling darkly into the glass, “if you want to catch a rat, you have to bait the trap.”
