Chapter 8: The Wedding That Was Never What It Seemed
The next morning, I returned to my apartment.
Not because I wanted to.
Because I needed answers.
The place looked exactly the same.
The flowers from our wedding were still on the dining table.
The champagne bottles were still unopened.
My suitcase from the honeymoon was still sitting near the bedroom door.
It looked like a home waiting for a happy couple.
Except the couple didn't exist anymore.
I walked through the rooms slowly.
Every corner held a memory.
The kitchen where Julian cooked dinner on our first anniversary.
The couch where we watched movies during storms.
The bedroom where he whispered promises.
I hated that those moments felt real.
Because they had been real to me.
That was the cruelest part.
A person could lie.
A memory couldn't.
I was looking through old wedding photos when I noticed something.
A picture of Julian talking to Sienna at the reception.
I zoomed in.
It was only a second.
A moment nobody noticed.
But I did.
The way they looked at each other.
Not like coworkers.
Not like strangers.
Like two people sharing a secret.
I checked the date.
The wedding.
Yesterday.
She had been there.
Around me.
Around my family.
Around my friends.
Smiling.
Pretending.
My phone buzzed.
A message from Sienna.
I stared at her name.
For three days, she had avoided contacting me.
Now suddenly she wanted to talk.
I opened it.
*Clara, we need to meet. There are things Julian hasn't told you.*
I almost ignored it.
Almost.
But curiosity won.
Because one thing had become clear.
Everyone had a version of the truth.
And I needed all of them.
I agreed to meet at a quiet café downtown.
When Sienna arrived, she looked different.
No designer dress.
No confident smile.
Just a tired woman carrying too many secrets.
She sat across from me.
"I know you hate me.""
I looked at her.
"I don't know you well enough to hate you.""
That seemed to surprise her.
"But I should.""
"Maybe.""
She looked down.
"I never wanted it to happen like this.""
I almost smiled.
"Which part?""
She looked away.
"The honeymoon.""
"The affair?""
Her face tightened.
"The lies.""
I studied her.
"You knew he was married.""
"Yes.""
"You knew you were hurting me.""
"Yes.""
"Then what exactly are we discussing?""
Her eyes filled slightly.
"I thought Julian loved me.""
The sentence irritated me more than I expected.
Not because she loved him.
Because she still made herself the victim.
"You thought?""
She swallowed.
"Julian told me you were only together because of family expectations.""
I stared at her.
"He told you that?""
"Yes.""
"He told you our marriage was already over?""
She nodded.
I laughed.
A bitter sound.
"Of course he did.""
Sienna looked uncomfortable.
"He said he was going to leave after the wedding.""
"Why after?""
"Because of your father's investment.""
There it was.
The connection.
I leaned forward.
"What does my father have to do with this?""
Sienna hesitated.
Then she said:
"Julian needed your father's money.""
I felt my chest tighten.
"Explain.""
"He told me your father would only invest if Julian appeared stable.""
"And marrying me helped.""
"Yes.""
I stared at her.
The wedding wasn't just a wedding.
It was a business strategy.
My marriage had been a transaction.
Sienna continued.
"I didn't know everything.""
"But you knew enough.""
She looked down.
"Yes.""
I wanted to be angry.
I was angry.
But beneath the anger was something else.
Pity.
Because Sienna had also been manipulated.
Julian had created different stories for different people.
He told me I was his future.
He told her I was his obligation.
He told investors he was building a company.
He told everyone exactly what they needed to hear.
"Why are you telling me this now?""
She looked at me.
"Because Julian abandoned me too.""
I froze.
"What?""
"He left Hawaii this morning.""
My eyebrows pulled together.
"What do you mean?""
"He came back.""
"Why?""
"Because he found out you had contacted lawyers.""
A cold feeling moved through me.
"He left you?""
She nodded.
"He told me to stay quiet.""
I leaned back.
"So the woman he chose over me suddenly became inconvenient.""
Sienna didn't respond.
Because she knew.
The truth was finally catching everyone.
Before she left, Sienna placed something on the table.
A small envelope.
"What is that?""
"Something Julian gave me.""
I didn't touch it.
"Why?""
"Because I think it's what you need.""
After she walked away, I opened it.
Inside was a copy of a document.
A marriage agreement.
Not mine.
Julian and Sienna's.
My hands shook.
The document wasn't signed.
But the details were clear.
A promise.
A future.
A life.
A life he planned while promising me forever.
At the bottom was one line handwritten by Julian.
*Once everything is secured, we'll finally be free.*
I stared at those words.
Everything is secured.
Not love.
Not happiness.
Everything.
My phone rang.
Rachel.
I answered.
"Clara.""
Her voice was urgent.
"You need to come to my office immediately.""
"Why?""
"Because I found where Julian moved the money.""
I grabbed the document.
"Where?""
A pause.
Then:
"An account under your name.""
I froze.
"What?""
"Clara, I think Julian didn't just steal from you.""
May you like
My heart raced.
"I think he planned to make you responsible.""
