Chapter 4: The Walls Close In
The moment of collision arrived. The wedding guests weren't just watching; they were contacting the police, the SEC, and the media. The grand hall transformed into a crime scene. Clara’s eyes darted around, the vanity beginning to drain from her face as she saw the whispers turn into frantic finger-pointing.
She turned to Julian, her voice cracking for the first time. "You don't understand, I did this for us—"
"There is no 'us'," Julian interrupted. He pulled out his phone, showing her the live feed of the local authorities pulling up the driveway of the Hamptons estate. He had turned her prison into a fortress from which she could not escape. Her empire of deceit, built on the suffering of those she locked away, was hitting a brick wall at terminal velocity. The bride, once the queen of the manor, was now a cornered animal, her mask of perfection shattered beyond repair.
