My Groom Shoved Me to the Floor in Front of 200 Wedding Guests and Introduced Another Woman as His Bride—But He Stopped Smiling When I Gave My Grandfather One Order

“Richard who?”” I demanded.

Robert Crawford looked as though someone had pulled the floor out from beneath him.

He backed away from me, shaking his head.

“I shouldn't have said anything.””

My grandfather tightened his grip on his cane.

“Robert, you have exactly one opportunity to explain yourself before my attorneys make certain you never do business with Sterling Enterprises again.””

Robert glanced toward the officers, then at Daniel.

His son stood motionless beside Jessica, his face drained of color. For once, Daniel wasn't trying to control the room. He was watching his father with the same fear I felt growing inside my chest.

“Richard Bennett,” Robert finally whispered.

My mother's brother.

My uncle.

The man who had disappeared from our lives when I was fourteen.

I remembered him as a tall, charming man who brought me expensive presents and told stories about business deals in Europe. My mother had adored him until something happened between them during the final year of her life.

After that, she refused to discuss him.

When she died, I asked my grandfather where Uncle Richard had gone.

He told me Richard had made choices that no longer allowed him to be part of our family.

I had accepted that explanation.

Now I wished I hadn't.

“What does my uncle have to do with this?”” I asked.

Robert rubbed his forehead.

“Richard approached me eleven months ago. He claimed he could arrange financing for Crawford Industries through a private investment group.””

Grandpa's expression hardened.

“And you entertained the proposal?””

“He had documents. Letters. Introductions to people I recognized. He knew the company was struggling, and he offered a solution.””

“Why didn't you tell me?”” I demanded.

Robert looked at the floor.

“Because Richard said you would interfere.””

My stomach twisted.

“He knew about the merger?””

“He knew about your relationship with Daniel. He said your grandfather would eventually invest in Crawford Industries because you were getting married.””

I stared at him.

“So he planned this before the wedding?””

“I don't know what he planned.””

“You knew my mother was dead. You knew Richard was her brother. You knew my grandfather was investing eighty-five million dollars, and you never thought any of that might matter?””

Robert opened his mouth, then closed it.

Daniel suddenly stepped forward.

“Dad, stop talking.””

The officer beside him immediately intervened.

“Sir, stay where you are.””

Daniel ignored him.

“Phoebe, please. Whatever Richard told my father, I had nothing to do with it.””

I turned toward my former fiancé.

“You just told me you were supposed to facilitate the transfer.””

“I meant the merger funds. Not the twelve million.””

“Then why is your name on the beneficiary documents?””

He looked away.

Jessica laughed bitterly.

“That's what I've been asking him.””

Daniel glared at her.

“You need to stay out of this.””

“No, Daniel. I'm done staying out of things you lie about.””

She reached into her handbag and pulled out her phone.

“I have messages from you. Emails, too. You told me Richard was the person who would make us rich enough to leave Texas and start over.””

Daniel's face went rigid.

“You promised you deleted those.””

Jessica stared at him.

“You told me they were harmless.””

My heart pounded.

“Jessica, show me.””

She hesitated, then handed her phone to Margaret.

“Please make a copy. I don't want him accusing me of changing anything.””

Margaret nodded and began documenting the messages for the legal team.

Grandpa turned to me.

“We need to leave. Now.””

I shook my head.

“Not until you tell me what you know about my mother.””

His face softened.

For a moment, he wasn't the billionaire chairman of Sterling Enterprises. He was simply my grandfather, the man who had held me while I cried at my mother's funeral.

“Your mother discovered financial irregularities inside one of our subsidiaries,” he said.

“She believed someone was using our family name to move money through companies that didn't actually conduct business.””

“Who?””

“Richard was one of the people she suspected.””

“Then why didn't you report him?””

“I did. Our investigators found evidence of misconduct, but the records were incomplete. Richard resigned before we could finish the investigation. He left the country shortly afterward.””

“And Mom?””

Grandpa swallowed.

“Your mother believed Richard had taken copies of the original financial records. She was afraid he would use them to threaten the family.””

I felt sick.

“Was that why she was so frightened near the end?””

Grandpa looked down.

“She told me she had received threats. I arranged additional security, but she begged me not to involve the police until she understood what Richard wanted.””

“Did you know she was in danger?””

“I knew she was afraid. I didn't understand how serious it was until after the accident.””

The word struck me like a physical blow.

The accident.

My mother had died on a rainy highway when her car crossed the center line and struck a concrete barrier. The official report called it a tragic loss of control.

I had never questioned it.

Not once.

“Are you saying her death wasn't an accident?””

“I'm saying I no longer know what to believe.””

The room fell silent.

Then Margaret's phone rang.

She listened for several seconds, her expression growing more troubled.

“Mr. Sterling,” she said, “our security team has just confirmed something.””

Grandpa turned toward her.

“What?””

“Someone accessed the archived investigation into Richard Bennett three days ago.””

My blood ran cold.