Chapter 7: The Bride Who Was Chosen
The room changed the moment everyone looked at me.
Not because they believed I was guilty.
Not completely.
But because doubt had entered.
And doubt was dangerous.
I could feel it moving through the ballroom.
Whispers.
Suspicion.
Questions.
The same people who had watched Harold walk out in humiliation were now watching me as if I was the next person who didn’t belong.
Malik stared at me.
The pain in his eyes was worse than anger.
“Tell me I’m wrong.””
His voice was barely above a whisper.
“Tell me that’s not you.””
I stepped toward him.
“Malik, it’s not.””
He looked at the screen again.
The woman in the footage moved through the office wearing my clothes.
My bracelet.
My exact hairstyle.
“I don’t understand.””
“Neither do I.””
“Then help me understand.””
His words hurt because they were reasonable.
He wasn’t shouting.
He wasn’t insulting me.
He was asking for an explanation.
And I didn’t have one.
“I never went into that office.””
The manager stepped closer.
“Miss, the footage shows someone who looks exactly like you.””
“I know.””
“Then how do you explain it?””
I looked around.
At the guests.
At the security guard.
At Malik.
At Harold.
The woman who had been accused all night was now the only person looking at me with sympathy.
She knew what it felt like to be judged before being heard.
“Someone is framing me.””
Malik’s expression changed.
“Who?””
I looked at the paused video.
Then at Thomas.
“You already know the answer.””
Everyone followed my gaze.
Thomas’s face was serious.
“Richard.””
Malik shook his head.
“But why would he frame her?””
Thomas didn’t answer immediately.
That silence worried me.
“Why?”” Malik asked again.
Thomas looked at me.
“Because she was the perfect person.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Before Thomas could answer, Harold spoke.
“It means someone chose you carefully.””
I turned toward her.
“Chosen me?””
She nodded.
“You weren’t randomly brought into Malik’s life.””
A cold feeling settled in my stomach.
Three years.
Three years with Malik.
Three years believing our relationship happened naturally.
That we met by chance.
That our love story belonged only to us.
But suddenly, I wasn’t sure anymore.
“How do you know?””
Harold looked at Thomas.
Then back at me.
“Because Richard studied everyone around Malik.””
My heart started racing.
“He studied me?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Thomas answered.
“Because Malik was the key.””
The ballroom went quiet.
“The key to what?””
Thomas looked at the wedding decorations.
“The trust.””
I felt sick.
“So this entire time…”
I couldn’t finish.
Malik did.
“This entire time, my relationship was part of a plan?””
Nobody answered.
And that was the answer.
He turned away.
I saw something break in his expression.
Not just because of me.
Because everything he believed about his life was falling apart.
His mother.
His father.
His money.
His identity.
Now even his marriage.
“Malik.””
He didn’t turn.
“I need a minute.””
He walked toward the empty hallway.
I wanted to follow him.
But Thomas stopped me.
“Wait.””
I looked at him.
“You think I’m involved.””
“No.””
“Then why stop me?””
“Because if Richard planned this, he wants Malik isolated.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
“Confusion makes people vulnerable.””
Harold nodded.
“He wants Malik angry. Hurt. Alone.””
I looked toward the hallway where Malik disappeared.
“And then what?””
Thomas’s face hardened.
“Then he takes everything.””
A sudden sound came from the ballroom entrance.
The doors opened.
A woman walked in.
She was dressed elegantly.
Dark suit.
Perfect makeup.
A confident smile.
She looked like someone who belonged among wealthy people.
The manager immediately recognized her.
“Ms. Victoria.””
Thomas’s face changed.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
Fear.
“Who is she?”” I asked.
Harold whispered:
“Richard’s daughter.””
The woman smiled.
“Thomas.””
Nobody answered.
She looked around the room.
“At least I arrived before the family reunion ended.””
Malik returned from the hallway.
When he saw her, he froze.
“Victoria?””
She smiled.
“Hello, Malik.””
I looked at him.
“You know her?””
He hesitated.
“I…”
Victoria laughed softly.
“Of course he knows me.””
She walked closer.
“We’ve met many times.””
Malik frowned.
“What are you doing here?””
“Checking on you.””
Her eyes moved around the room.
“Looks like things got complicated.””
Thomas stepped forward.
“You need to leave.””
Victoria smiled.
“Still protective after all these years.””
Harold looked terrified.
“Where is your father?””
Victoria’s smile disappeared slightly.
“He’s closer than you think.””
The words made everyone uncomfortable.
Malik stepped forward.
“Enough games.””
Victoria looked at him.
“You really don’t remember.””
“Remember what?””
She studied his face.
“Your first meeting with your fiancée.””
My blood went cold.
Malik looked at me.
“What does she mean?””
Victoria smiled.
“I think she knows.””
Everyone turned toward me.
“I don’t.””
Victoria tilted her head.
“Really?””
She reached into her purse.
Then pulled out a photograph.
She handed it to Malik.
He looked down.
His expression changed.
“What is this?””
I stepped closer.
The picture showed me.
Years ago.
Before I met Malik.
I was standing beside Victoria.
But I had never seen this picture before.
“I don’t remember that.””
Victoria smiled.
“That’s because you weren’t supposed to.””
Malik looked at her.
“Explain.””
Victoria walked slowly through the ballroom.
“Three years ago, my father needed someone close to you.””
Thomas’s expression darkened.
“Victoria.””
She ignored him.
“Someone you would trust.””
My stomach tightened.
“No.””
Victoria looked at me.
“Yes.””
Malik stared.
“What is she saying?””
I shook my head.
“I don’t know.””
Victoria laughed.
“That’s the sad part.””
She stepped closer.
“You really don’t know.””
She pointed at me.
“Because your memories were carefully arranged.””
Nobody moved.
“What are you talking about?”” Malik asked.
Victoria looked pleased.
“Your first meeting wasn’t accidental.””
She looked at me.
“Neither was hers.””
My hands became cold.
“What did you do?””
Victoria smiled.
“Nothing.””
Then she looked at Malik.
“But my father did.””
The room went silent.
“Your father wanted someone close enough to access the trust.””
Malik’s eyes narrowed.
“My father?””
“No.””
Victoria smiled.
“Your real enemy.””
She looked at Thomas.
“Because Thomas spent years protecting the wrong person.””
Everyone froze.
Thomas’s face changed.
“What did you say?””
Victoria stepped closer.
“The trust wasn’t created to protect Malik.””
She looked at Harold.
“It was created to expose what happened the night Andrew died.””
Harold went pale.
Malik looked between them.
“What does that mean?””
Victoria smiled.
“It means your mother didn’t hide your father’s death because she was protecting you.””
She paused.
“She hid it because she was protecting herself.””
The room erupted.
Malik stared at Harold.
“No.””
Harold looked like she had lost all strength.
“Malik…”
But he stepped away.
“Is it true?””
She couldn’t answer.
And once again, silence became the most painful response.
Victoria turned toward the guests.
“Everyone came here expecting a wedding.””
She smiled coldly.
“But they got a confession instead.””
Then she placed another document on the table.
“This is the original trust agreement.””
Thomas looked at it.
His face changed instantly.
“No.””
“What is it?”” Malik asked.
Thomas didn’t answer.
Victoria smiled.
“Read it.””
Malik opened the document.
His eyes moved across the page.
Then stopped.
His hands started shaking.
I moved closer.
“What does it say?””
He looked up.
And the expression on his face terrified me.
Because whatever was written there was worse than betrayal.
Worse than lies.
Worse than losing money.
Malik whispered:
“The trust was never supposed to go to me.””
A pause.
“It was supposed to go to…”
He looked at me.
May you like
My heart stopped.
“Her.””
