Chapter 8: The Secret Behind Our Wedding Night
I almost didn’t go.
That was the truth.
Every instinct inside me told me not to trust Selina.
She had lied to me.
She had manipulated my husband.
She had walked into my home pretending to be a victim while secretly planning my downfall.
But one thing kept bothering me.
Her message.
*Julian didn’t come back to me because of love. He came back because I know what he did three years ago.*
That wasn’t a threat from someone confident.
That was fear.
Selina wasn’t just holding a secret.
She was trapped by it.
And I needed to know what that secret was.
I chose a public location.
A quiet restaurant downtown.
A place with cameras.
A place with witnesses.
I wasn’t making the same mistakes anymore.
I wasn’t walking into rooms without protection.
When I arrived, Selina was already there.
She sat in the corner booth wearing sunglasses, even though we were inside.
The woman looked different.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
For the first time since I met her, she didn’t look like someone in control.
She looked exhausted.
I sat across from her.
“Five minutes.””
She looked up.
“Nora.””
“Don’t.””
My voice was cold.
“You don’t get to say my name like we’re friends.””
She looked down.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then:
“I know you hate me.””
I laughed quietly.
“Hate is a strong word.””
“Then what do you feel?””
I stared at her.
“Disgust.””
The honesty surprised her.
Good.
She deserved honesty.
Selina swallowed.
“I understand.””
“No, you don’t.””
I leaned forward.
“You walked into my house and accused me of attacking you.””
Her eyes moved away.
“You let Julian believe I was dangerous.””
“I didn’t expect him to go that far.””
That sentence caught my attention.
“What does that mean?””
She looked back at me.
“I wanted him angry.””
“Why?””
“Because angry people make mistakes.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“So this was all planned?””
She didn’t answer.
That was enough.
I stood.
“I’m done.””
“Wait.””
Her voice became desperate.
“Please.””
I stopped.
Not because I trusted her.
Because I needed answers.
“What?””
She reached into her purse.
Slowly.
Carefully.
She placed a small envelope on the table.
My heart started beating faster.
Another envelope.
Another secret.
“What is it?””
“Something Julian never wanted you to see.””
I didn’t touch it.
“Why give it to me now?””
She smiled sadly.
“Because I realized something.””
“What?””
“Julian was never choosing me.””
Silence.
I looked at her.
“What are you talking about?””
Selina’s eyes filled with tears.
“He used me too.””
I almost laughed.
“You expect me to feel sorry for you?””
“No.””
She shook her head.
“I don’t deserve that.””
That answer surprised me.
She continued.
“I spent years believing Julian loved me.””
She looked down.
“I thought you were the obstacle.””
My hands tightened.
“But I was wrong.””
“What changed?””
Her voice became quieter.
“I found out what he really planned.””
I stared at the envelope.
“What’s inside?””
“Proof.””
“Proof of what?””
“That your marriage was never supposed to last.””
I already knew that.
The emails.
The documents.
The lies.
But something about her tone told me there was more.
“Explain.””
Selina took a breath.
“Before you married Julian, he was under pressure.””
“From who?””
“His family.””
I frowned.
“Why?””
“Because of your father.””
My heart stopped.
“My father?””
She nodded.
“Your father refused to sell Bennett Holdings to Vance Global.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
“Your father knew Julian wanted control.””
“That’s impossible.””
“Is it?””
Selina looked at me.
“Think about it.””
I did.
And suddenly, memories returned.
My father’s hesitation before my wedding.
The conversation I overheard between him and Julian.
The way my father had once told me:
“Love is important, Nora. But never hand someone the keys to everything you own.””
At the time, I thought he was giving general advice.
Now…
I wasn’t sure.
“What did Julian do?””
Selina looked away.
“He needed access to your family assets.””
My voice became a whisper.
“So he married me.””
“Yes.””
The word cut deeper than I expected.
Even though I already suspected it.
Hearing it confirmed by someone else was different.
I opened the envelope.
Inside were documents.
Old documents.
The first page was dated three months before my wedding.
A legal agreement.
I read the title.
*Strategic Marriage Arrangement Proposal.*
My hands went cold.
Below it were names.
Julian Vance.
A financial advisor.
And another signature.
Someone I recognized.
My uncle.
I looked up.
“What is this?””
Selina’s face became serious.
“Your uncle helped Julian create the plan.””
My heart sank.
“My uncle?””
“Yes.””
I continued reading.
The document explained a merger.
A marriage.
A transfer of voting rights.
Everything.
My entire relationship had been turned into a business strategy.
I felt sick.
“What about you?””
Selina looked ashamed.
“I knew part of it.””
“Part?””
She nodded.
“I knew Julian wanted you because of your family.””
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
Her eyes filled.
“Because I was selfish.””
At least she admitted it.
“I thought if the plan worked, Julian would leave you afterward.””
My jaw tightened.
“So you waited.””
“Yes.””
“You watched me marry him.””
“Yes.””
“You watched me build a life with him.””
She closed her eyes.
“Yes.””
I wanted to hate her.
But anger became complicated when someone finally admitted the truth.
“You’re not innocent.””
“I know.””
Her voice broke.
“I’m not asking you to forgive me.””
“Then why are you helping me?””
She looked at the envelope.
“Because Julian crossed a line.””
“What line?””
“He decided I was disposable too.””
I frowned.
“What did he do?””
Selina hesitated.
Then whispered:
“He planned to blame everything on me.””
A cold feeling moved through my body.
“What?””
“He created this entire situation so that if things went wrong, I would look like the unstable woman trying to destroy your marriage.””
I stared at her.
“He would never.””
Selina gave a bitter smile.
“You said the same thing about him using you.””
I had no answer.
Because she was right.
I took the documents home.
Not because I trusted Selina.
Because I trusted evidence.
That night, I spread everything across the dining table.
The emails.
The contracts.
The photos.
The recording.
My entire marriage was becoming a crime scene.
A timeline of deception.
Then I noticed something.
A missing piece.
The documents mentioned Bennett Holdings.
But they didn’t explain why Julian needed control so urgently.
I searched through every page.
Nothing.
Then my smartwatch buzzed.
A notification.
My recording had finished uploading.
I had forgotten.
The entire confrontation.
The threats.
The conversation.
Everything.
I opened the file.
I listened.
At first, there was only the sound of my footsteps.
Then Julian’s voice.
“Nora, don’t walk away from me.””
I kept listening.
Then came Selina’s voice.
“Julian… what if she tells people?””
And his answer.
“She won’t.””
I remembered that moment.
But then something happened.
Something I didn’t hear before.
A few seconds after I walked away.
Julian spoke again.
Quietly.
Almost too quiet.
“I can’t let her remember what happened that night.””
I froze.
My blood ran cold.
What night?
Then Selina asked:
“What if she does?””
Julian answered:
“Then we lose everything.””
I stopped the recording.
My hands shook.
Because suddenly I understood.
The secret wasn’t just about my marriage.
It wasn’t just about money.
It was about something that happened before I became Nora Vance.
Something from the night before my wedding.
Something Julian thought I had forgotten.
My phone rang.
Claire.
I answered immediately.
“Nora?””
“Yes?””
Her voice was tense.
“I found something.””
“What?””
“I checked the original marriage records.””
“Why?””
“Because there is a problem.””
My heart started racing.
“What problem?””
A pause.
Then she said:
“Nora…”
“Tell me.””
“The marriage certificate you have…”
She stopped.
“What about it?””
“The date is wrong.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“The document was filed one day earlier than your actual wedding.””
I didn’t understand.
“Why would that matter?””
Claire’s voice became quieter.
“Because legally…”
She hesitated.
“You were already Julian’s wife before the wedding ceremony happened.””
I went completely still.
“That’s impossible.””
“I thought so too.””
“Claire…”
She took a breath.
“Someone changed the timeline.””
My eyes moved to the documents on the table.
The hotel photo.
The agreement.
The recording.
Three years of secrets.
Then Claire said the words that made my entire body freeze.
“Nora, I think Julian didn’t marry you to get access to your family.””
May you like
A pause.
“I think he married you because he was trying to hide something that happened before you even became his wife.””
