Chapter 5 - An Offer in the Ruins
The wedding guests began clearing out of the church in a wave of panicked whispers, leaving only Sadie, Gabriel, and his personal security detail near the altar. Mia stood huddled near the pews, weeping quietly in guilt.
Sadie slowly unpinned her lace bridal veil, letting the sheer fabric drop onto the stone steps beside her mother's empty ring setting. She took a deep, steadying breath, wiping the ruined mascara from her cheeks with the back of her hand.
"Why didn't you just call the police, Mr. Rossi?" Sadie asked, her voice quiet but steady as she looked directly into Gabriel's eyes.
Gabriel straightened his dark blue suit jacket. "Because police don't recover stolen syndicate assets, Miss Vance. And Connor wasn't acting alone. The micro-drive he hid in your ring contains a secondary ledger—one that proves your father's business partner was also involved in the theft."
Sadie froze, her hand clutching her chest. "My father's partner? Marcus?"
Gabriel nodded slowly. "Marcus used Connor to infiltrate your life. Your entire marriage was staged from the beginning to gain access to your family's estate trust."
Sadie’s world crumbled further as she realized the depth of the deception surrounding her. "I have nothing left..." she whispered.
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Gabriel stepped closer, his presence warm and grounding in the cold stone church. "You have your freedom. And if you come with me, I will ensure Marcus and Connor pay for every lie they told you."
👉 Read PART 6 to see where Gabriel took Sadie to keep her safe from Marcus!
