Chapter 2: The Secret Investor
The first thing I heard after Julian dropped his champagne glass was the sound of it shattering.
Tiny pieces of crystal scattered across the marble floor.
Just like my trust.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
The orchestra stopped playing.
The photographers lowered their cameras.
Every guest waited for someone to explain what was happening.
Julian looked nothing like the confident man who had stood beside me during our vows.
His face had lost all color.
“Clara,” he said quietly.
I looked at him.
“What?””
He opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
That was when I realized something.
Julian wasn’t shocked because his money was gone.
He was shocked because he had discovered something else.
Something he didn’t want me to know.
Beatrice stepped forward.
“This is ridiculous.””
Her voice was sharp.
She looked at my father.
“You think you can embarrass my son at his own wedding?””
My father calmly placed his phone into his pocket.
“Your son embarrassed himself.””
The room became even quieter.
Beatrice’s eyes narrowed.
“You have no idea who you’re speaking to.””
My father gave a small nod.
“I know exactly who I’m speaking to.””
Julian stared at him.
“Mr. Sterling, can we talk privately?””
My father looked at me first.
Not Julian.
Me.
That small action hurt more than anything.
Because my father was asking me what I wanted.
Julian never did.
I walked toward the nearest table and sat down.
A wedding planner rushed over with a medical kit.
“Miss Sterling, we need to clean that cut.””
I barely noticed.
My eyes stayed on Julian.
The man who had promised to protect me.
The man who had watched me fall.
A few minutes later, we were in a private room behind the ballroom.
Julian closed the door.
His hands were shaking.
“Clara, I can explain.””
I almost laughed.
“Explain what?””
He looked away.
“Everything.””
“Start with why you laughed.””
His jaw tightened.
“I didn’t think she would actually hurt you.””
“That’s your explanation?””
“No.””
“Yes, Julian. It is.””
He ran a hand through his hair.
“You don’t understand my family.””
I stared at him.
“I understand enough.””
“No, you don’t.””
His voice rose.
“My family has traditions. You know how important appearances are.””
I touched the bandage on my cheek.
“So this was about appearances?””
He went silent.
I stepped closer.
“You cared more about your mother’s approval than your wife bleeding on the floor.””
“That’s not fair.””
I looked at him.
“Fair?””
The word sounded strange.
Because nothing about that night felt fair.
Julian sat down.
“I was under pressure.””
“From who?””
He didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
I remembered every dinner where Beatrice insulted my family.
Every time Julian changed the subject.
Every time he told me, “She doesn’t mean it.””
Maybe she did.
Maybe he did too.
The door opened.
My father walked in.
Julian immediately stood.
“Mr. Sterling—”
My father raised a hand.
“Don’t.””
The room went still.
My father placed a folder on the table.
“Your company received the two million dollars this afternoon.””
Julian nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
“That money came from Sterling Capital.””
Julian looked shocked.
“You were the investor?””
My father didn’t answer immediately.
“I was.””
Julian looked at me.
“You knew?””
I didn’t respond.
Because yes.
I knew.
But I never thought I would regret helping someone.
“I asked my father to help you,” I said.
Julian’s expression changed.
Guilt appeared for a second.
Then something else replaced it.
Confusion.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because I didn’t want you to marry me for money.””
The words hit him.
He looked away.
My father opened the folder.
“Unfortunately, the investment review uncovered something concerning.””
Julian frowned.
“What?””
My father pushed a document forward.
“Your emergency funding request included altered financial projections.””
Julian picked up the papers.
“I didn’t do this.””
“Maybe not.””
My father’s voice remained calm.
“But someone inside your company did.””
Julian scanned the pages.
Then froze.
“What is this?””
My father looked at him.
“The approval signature.””
Julian’s fingers tightened around the paper.
“Who signed this?””
My father didn’t answer.
He didn’t need to.
Julian looked at the bottom of the page.
His face changed.
“No…”
I stood up.
“Julian?””
He slowly lifted his eyes.
And whispered a name.
The name of the person who had convinced him the company was safe.
The person who had access to every financial document.
The person who had been sitting at our wedding.
“Your best friend,” my father said quietly.
Julian shook his head.
“No. Ethan would never…”
But before he could finish, his phone buzzed.
One message.
One attachment.
Julian opened it.
Then his hand began trembling.
Because the photo on his screen showed Ethan entering a private bank office.
And standing beside him was someone I recognized immediately.
Someone who had smiled at me all night.
May you like
Someone who had raised a champagne glass while I bled.
Beatrice.
