chapter 116

chapter 116
The grand courtyard of the Drake estate shimmered in white and gold, the soft strains of violin lifting gently through the spring air. Rows upon rows of elegantly dressed guests rose to their feet as the soft chime of the wedding march began to play.

And then, she appeared.

Rita.

Her dress — custom silk organza with hand-sewn beads that shimmered like morning dew — flowed behind her like a cascade of light. A delicate lace veil framed her glowing face, and in her arms was a bouquet of white peonies, tied with a ribbon that matched Adrian’s pocket square.

The crowd gasped softly — not just at her beauty, but at the serenity and grace that clung to her like a second skin.

Rita held her father’s arm, her other hand gently curled around her bouquet. Her heart raced with every step. Not out of fear — she hadn’t sensed the danger — but from the overwhelming joy of the moment. Her eyes were fixed ahead.

Adrian stood waiting.

He looked regal, composed, but only those who knew him well could see the tightness in his jaw and the subtle scanning of the crowd with his eyes. Even now, as the moment he’d longed for arrived, he was on high alert.

“Let her have this moment,” he whispered to himself.
“Just a few more minutes.”

As Rita took each step closer, her mother sobbed quietly behind her veil. Lydia and Ethan were seated in the front row, holding hands. Even Dominic had misty eyes.

The soft petals beneath Rita’s feet had been scattered just moments before by flower girls in white tulle. With each slow, graceful step, she came closer to her future — a dream she once thought too far beyond reach.

She didn’t know about the silent drones overhead. Or the earpiece tucked behind Adrian’s ear where a voice now whispered:

“She’s on the move. Red dress. She’s entered the northeast path, approaching the vendor’s route.”

But Adrian didn’t move.

He couldn’t.

Not now. Not when his bride was walking toward him.

So he breathed in — slow and deep — and took a single step forward as she reached the final stretch.

Their eyes met.

And time froze.

Everyone else faded, all the sorrow, the threats, the schemes, the shadows — gone in that one breathtaking glance. Rita smiled softly, her eyes glassy with joy. And in that moment, Adrian made a silent vow:

Not even death will touch her today.

While Rita glided gracefully down the aisle like a vision from a dream, another figure moved through the shadows just beyond the garden walls — Linet.

Dressed in a red vendor’s cloak with a low hood, her face hidden beneath dark makeup and oversized sunglasses, Linet clutched a crate of faux supplies meant for the reception.

No one gave her a second look. The chaos of a high-profile wedding worked to her advantage — dozens of vendors, servers, security, florists. She blended in like a whisper.

Her breath came in sharp, short bursts. She hadn't come with a clear plan. Just rage. Jealousy. Obsession.

“She gets everything… and I get scraps. Not today.”

Her mind hissed in loops.

She remembered the night she watched Adrian smile at Rita. The night she realized no amount of manipulation, tears, or tricks would bring him back.

He chose Rita.
And now Rita would pay.

Linet slipped past the service tent, ducking beneath a hanging drape. She emerged into the main reception lane, where servers were already arranging champagne glasses. Her eyes darted across the estate.

Security cameras. Guards. Waiters. Guests.

She paused near a water feature, pretending to adjust her crate, while her eyes searched for the route to the main garden where the ceremony was underway.

“Just one scream. Just one scene. One spilled truth in front of the whole society and everything crumbles.”

She didn’t want to hurt anyone — not physically. But ruin them?

That, she had rehearsed in her head for weeks.

She’d memorized her lines.
She’d even picked out the exact moment: Just before the vows.

Suddenly, her earpiece crackled — except, it wasn’t hers. She had no earpiece.

“Red cloak confirmed. Vendor alley breach. All units hold positions. Do not engage until signal.”

She froze.

Eyes wide.

She was being watched.

It was a trap.

Before she could move, a hand touched her shoulder.

She spun.

Adrian stood behind her, looking like a ghost risen from her nightmares — tall, unreadable, his wedding coat crisp and untarnished. And then she noticed the tiny camera mounted to the boutonniere on his lapel.

He’d known.

He’d expected her.

“Hello, Linet,” he said coldly, “You really thought we wouldn’t see you coming?”

She stepped back, but uniformed guards were already closing in, surrounding her like wolves.

And as her hood was pulled back, gasps echoed across the outer garden. Guests began to turn, murmurs spreading.

“Is that…?”
“Linet?”
“What’s happening?”

Panic briefly lit her face — but just as quickly, she straightened, defiant.

“You love a fraud,” she screamed, voice high and desperate. “She doesn’t deserve you! I was there before her! I fought for you!”

But Adrian didn’t even flinch.
He simply stepped aside as officers took her arms.

“You chose this,” he said, voice low.

“No! I was meant to be the bride!” she shouted. “That should’ve been me!”

As Linet was being pulled away in handcuffs, screaming and thrashing, Rita stepped forward — her pristine white gown swaying like a queen’s robe in the gentle breeze. Her face wasn’t angry. It was calm. Composed. But her eyes — her eyes burned with a fire Linet had never seen before.

The guests hushed. Even the officers paused.

Rita stood inches from her old rival, now exposed and disgraced. Her voice, sharp and steady, sliced through the silence:

“After seducing James… destroying him, wrecking a whole family, and dragging your own name through the mud — you still think you deserve Adrian?”

Linet tried to look away, but Rita wouldn’t let her.

“You always want what I have. Always lurking in the shadows, always comparing, always bitter.”

Rita stepped closer, her words a blade masked in velvet:

“You weren’t just trying to ruin a wedding. You were trying to steal a life that was never yours. How shameful, Linet. How empty must you be to think wearing my crown would make you me?”

Linet’s voice cracked, a bitter sneer forming. “You don’t understand… I needed—”

But Rita didn’t let her finish.

“No. You wanted. Not needed. You wanted everything I built with love, honesty, and pain. But you’ll never get it, because you never earned it.”

The crowd was frozen in disbelief. Phones were already recording. This would be all over the news by morning.

Tears welled up in Linet’s eyes, not of remorse — but rage. Her lips trembled as the officers resumed their grip on her arms.

Rita leaned in, whispering just loud enough for her to hear:

“Enjoy your headlines, Linet. But remember… this day? It was never about you.”

And with that, Rita turned gracefully and walked back toward the aisle, where Adrian was waiting — strong, steady, unshaken.

Linet was left behind, dragged away as her screams faded into the distance.