Chapter 11 - The Truth in the Quiet
Twenty minutes later, the grand ballroom was empty. The guests had dispersed into the night, gossiping excitedly about the most dramatic wedding scandal of the decade.
Maya sat on a stone bench in the quiet courtyard outside the mansion, the cool evening breeze rustling her dark wavy hair. She held her leather handbag on her lap, gazing out at the fountains.
The heavy glass doors opened, and Adrian walked out into the courtyard. He had removed his tuxedo jacket, his white shirt unbuttoned at the collar, looking exhausted and profoundly broken.
He walked over and sat down slowly on the stone bench beside her, keeping a respectful distance.
For a long time, neither of them spoke. The sound of splashing water filled the cool night air.
"I'm sorry, Maya," Adrian said, his voice cracking with heavy emotion. "I was such an idiot. I let her poison my mind against the best person in my life."
Maya turned her head, looking at her childhood friend with soft, compassionate eyes.
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"You were in love, Adrian," Maya said gently. "People in love want to believe the best in the person they choose. She was a master manipulator."
👉 Read PART 12 to see what happened during the financial recovery audit!
