Chapter 2
My father didn't raise his voice.
That frightened Marcus more than shouting would have.
Arthur Bennett was known for being calm during business disasters.
I'd watched him negotiate contracts worth millions without changing his expression.
But I had never seen him look at someone the way he looked at my fiancé that night.
“Answer me, Marcus.”
Rain beat against the driveway.
Diane stood beneath the mansion entrance, holding the front of her metallic-gold gown away from the water.
Marcus looked toward his mother.
Then back at my father.
“Sir, this is a private family matter.”
My father gave a humorless laugh.
“Your mother threw my daughter into the rain.”
I felt his hand tighten around mine.
“There's nothing private about that.”
Diane stepped forward.
“Arthur, with respect, Nia refused to honor her responsibilities.”
My father turned toward her.
“Which responsibilities?”
She lifted her chin.
“Supporting her future husband's family.”
“By signing a personal guarantee?”
Diane froze.
My stomach tightened.
My father continued.
“By committing money she never agreed to invest?”
Marcus stared at him.
“How do you know about that?”
My father looked at him.
“Because someone asked my company to verify the same transaction yesterday.”
The silence was immediate.
I turned toward him.
“Dad?”
He looked at me.
“Sweetheart, let's get you somewhere dry.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
My voice trembled.
“Please tell me what's happening.”
He studied my face.
Then nodded.
“Not here.”
Diane suddenly spoke.
“That's unnecessary.”
My father turned toward her.
“What is?”
“Dragging outside business into a family disagreement.”
He stared at her.
“You brought business into this wedding.”
She looked away.
Marcus stepped closer.
“Nia, can we talk?”
I looked at him.
Three hours earlier, he'd kissed my forehead and told me I was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.
Now my dress was soaked.
My knees hurt.
And I could barely recognize him.
“What would you like to discuss?”
He glanced at my father.
“Alone.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
His expression tightened.
“Nia…”
“You watched your mother throw me out.”
He swallowed.
“I didn't expect things to get so emotional.”
I stared at him.
“Emotional?”
My voice broke.
“You let me fall onto the driveway!”
For a moment, he looked ashamed.
Then Diane interrupted.
“Oh, please. She slipped.”
My father stepped between us.
“Diane, stop speaking about my daughter.”
She recoiled.
“Excuse me?”
“She's standing right here.”
He turned toward me.
“Nia, you decide whether you want to leave.”
I looked toward the mansion.
Through the windows, I could see guests gathering in the ballroom.
White flowers lined the staircase.
The wedding cake stood beneath a crystal chandelier.
Everything I'd planned was still there.
Except the future I'd imagined.
I took a shaky breath.
“I want to go home.”
My father nodded.
“Then we're going home.”
Marcus moved forward.
“Nia, don't do this.”
I looked at him.
“Don't do what?”
“Walk away over one argument.”
I stared at him.
“One argument?”
He didn't answer.
I looked down at the folder.
Then back at the man I'd nearly married.
“You wanted me to sign documents committing millions of dollars.”
He swallowed.
“You didn't even explain them.”
I continued.
“And when I refused, you let your mother humiliate me.”
His face tightened.
“That's not fair.”
I felt tears rise.
“Neither was leaving me in the rain.”
My father guided me toward the sedan.
Marcus called after us.
“Nia!”
I stopped.
For one terrible second, I hoped he'd say something that would make sense of everything.
That he'd apologize.
That he'd tell me the documents were a mistake.
That he'd come toward me without asking for anything.
Instead, he shouted, “We still need to discuss the investment!”
My heart stopped.
My father went still beside me.
I slowly turned.
Marcus seemed to realize what he'd said.
But it was too late.
I looked directly into his eyes.
“Goodbye, Marcus.”
Then I climbed into my father's car.
The door closed.
And for the first time that night, the rain became a distant sound.
My father's driver handed me a blanket.
I wrapped it around my shaking body.
Arthur sat beside me.
For several minutes, neither of us spoke.
Then I whispered, “Did you know?”
He looked at me.
“About the documents?”
I nodded.
His expression softened.
“I knew someone was trying to arrange a large financial commitment involving your name.”
My stomach tightened.
“Who?”
He hesitated.
“A broker contacted our finance department.”
I stared at him.
“When?”
“Yesterday morning.”
“And you didn't tell me?”
Pain flashed across his face.
“I was trying to verify what was happening before bringing it to you.”
I looked away.
My father sighed.
“That was a mistake.”
I swallowed.
“Yes.”
He took my hand.
“I'm sorry.”
I wanted to be angry.
But I was too exhausted.
Then I asked the question that hurt most.
“Did Marcus know?”
My father looked down.
“I believe he knew the documents were being prepared.”
Tears slipped down my cheeks.
“Why would he do this?”
Arthur didn't answer immediately.
Then he said quietly, “Some people see an opportunity where they should see a person.”
I covered my face.
For three years, Marcus told me he loved my independence.
My ambition.
The business I'd built without taking money from my father.
But now I wondered whether he'd been waiting for the moment our marriage could give him access to something bigger.
Something I'd never agreed to share.
When we reached my father's home, a housekeeper brought towels.
My father asked someone to call a doctor about my injured knees.
I insisted I was fine.
Then I tried standing.
Pain shot through my right leg.
I nearly fell.
Arthur caught me.
“Nia!”
I started crying again.
He helped me onto the sofa.
A doctor arrived later that evening.
My knees were bruised and scraped, but there was no apparent fracture.
He cleaned the wounds and advised me to rest.
I thanked him.
Then I asked everyone to leave me alone.
My father hesitated.
“Princess…”
“Please, Dad.”
He nodded.
“I'll be downstairs.”
When the room was quiet, I looked at my wedding gown.
The lace was stained.
The hem was muddy.
One of the delicate straps inside the bodice had torn.
I'd spent months choosing that dress.
I remembered standing in the bridal salon with my best friend Camille.
She cried when I stepped out.
“You look like a princess.”
I'd laughed.
“I feel ridiculous.”
She shook her head.
“You look happy.”
I had been happy.
Now I felt humiliated.
I pulled off the dress with shaking hands.
Then I sat on the bathroom floor and cried until my chest hurt.
At midnight, my phone vibrated.
A message from Marcus.
Nia, we can still fix this if you stop letting your father interfere.
I stared at the screen.
Another message arrived.
My mother shouldn't have spoken to you that way, but you embarrassed our family.
I couldn't breathe.
Then came a third.
We need you to sign the papers before Monday. This project affects all of us.
I looked at the words.
Not one question about my injuries.
Not one apology for leaving me outside.
Just the documents.
The project.
The money.
I took screenshots.
Then I went downstairs.
My father was sitting in his study.
A folder lay open on the desk.
He looked up immediately.
“Nia?”
I held out my phone.
“He's still asking me to sign.”
My father read the messages.
His expression became cold.
Then he opened the folder.
Inside was a letter from a financial institution.
A loan application summary.
And a copy of the same guarantee Diane had demanded.
I stared at the pages.
Then I noticed something that made my blood run cold.
The application identified me as a committed investor.
Not a potential investor.
Not someone being asked to participate.
A committed investor.
And beside my name was an electronic signature.
My electronic signature.
On a document I had never seen before.
I looked at my father.
“Dad…”
He nodded grimly.
“I know.”
My hands began shaking.
May you like
Then he said something that made the room spin.
“Nia, someone may have already signed your name.”
