Chapter 12 - The Marriage That Never Began.
Adrian found Celeste in the underground parking level beside a black sedan.
Owen Vale was waiting in the driver's seat.
Celeste had kicked off her heels and torn the bottom of her wedding gown above her knees so she could run.
She looked less like a bride now and more like someone escaping a crime scene.
"Celeste!"
She turned.
Adrian stopped ten feet away.
"Give me the drive."
"Go back upstairs."
"It's over."
"No."
She held up the hard drive.
"This is the only copy that matters."
Owen opened the passenger door.
"We need to go."
Adrian stepped closer.
"You used me."
Celeste looked almost bored.
"You used me too."
"For what?"
"You wanted a wife who made people envy you."
She gestured to the torn gown.
"I did that beautifully."
"I loved you."
"You loved being seen with me."
The words struck because some part of them was true.
Adrian had defended Celeste not only because he loved her, but because admitting the truth would have meant admitting that everyone who warned him had been right.
He had protected his pride until it became protection for her cruelty.
"Give me the drive."
Celeste's expression hardened.
"Move."
"No."
Owen got out of the car.
He was larger than Adrian and far calmer.
"Last warning."
Adrian did not move.
Owen struck him in the stomach.
Adrian folded but stayed on his feet.
The second blow caught his jaw.
He hit the concrete.
Celeste stepped over him.
"This is why I chose you."
She looked down with contempt.
"You always wait for someone stronger to decide what happens next."
A voice echoed through the garage.
"Not tonight."
Claire stood at the entrance with Marcus and two police officers.
Victor was behind them.
Celeste froze.
Owen reached inside his jacket.
Both officers drew their weapons.
"Hands where we can see them!"
Owen stopped.
Slowly, he raised his hands.
Celeste looked toward the sedan, calculating distance.
Claire saw it.
"Don't."
Celeste laughed.
"You think this means you win?"
"No."
Claire's voice was quiet.
"I think it means you finally stopped controlling the room."
One officer took the drive.
The other cuffed Owen.
Celeste held out her wrists with theatrical patience.
"Before you arrest the bride, you might want to verify there was a legal wedding."
Everyone stared at her.
Adrian pushed himself upright.
"What are you talking about?"
Celeste smiled.
"Samuel filed the license under a false witness certification."
Victor looked at Samuel, who had been escorted down by another officer.
Samuel's silence confirmed it.
Adrian blinked.
"We're not married?"
"Not legally."
Celeste's smile sharpened.
"I never needed us to be."
Victor frowned.
"Then how does the trust execute?"
Samuel answered this time.
"It doesn't."
Victor stared at him.
"Then what were you buying with all this?"
Samuel looked at Celeste.
"Access to the board vote, not through marriage."
Claire understood.
"Adrian's proxy."
Samuel nodded.
Adrian's face drained of color.
Earlier that afternoon, Celeste had asked him to sign a stack of routine wedding-related financial documents.
He had signed without reading them.
One of those pages had been a voting proxy.
Victor looked at his son.
"Tell me you didn't sign it."
Adrian could not.
Samuel spoke quietly.
"The proxy became effective at midnight."
Victor checked his watch.
May you like
11:47 p.m.
Thirteen minutes remained.
