Chapter 9 - THE GROOM’S CHOICE
The laughter died instantly, replaced by a suffocating, heavy silence as compliance terms echoed across a wedding altar. Holt stared at the folder in sheer horror, his voice cracking as he whispered, “Ren, what is this? What did you do?”
I looked at the man I had planned to marry—the man who had spent years making his mother’s cruelty smaller so he wouldn’t have to challenge her. “This is your family’s legacy, Holt,” I replied steadily. “Millions of dollars stolen from the Sterling Family Foundation to fund your mother’s lifestyle.” Vivian leapt out of her seat in the front row, her face draining of color as she shrieked, “She’s insane! Stop her! Security, remove this woman!” But the guests didn't move; cameras flashed, and compliance lawyers in the audience recognized the formatting of federal financial exhibits immediately.
