Chapter 35 The Marriage Certificate Exposed
The wailing sirens of fire trucks grew louder and more piercing as they approached.
Nicholas's car had just pulled through the gates when he spotted the towering flames shooting into the sky.
Half the horizon blazed crimson red.
His heart plummeted as an ominous foreboding washed over him.
The car raced to a stop in front of the main house.
He threw open the door and sprinted toward the inferno.
When he realized it was the Dreamy Garden he had lovingly cultivated for her that was burning, Nicholas froze in his tracks.
Those pristine white blooms now twisted and writhed in the flames before crumbling to ash.
Every petal had been his heartfelt gesture, yet she had personally destroyed it all.
She obliterated it so thoroughly, so ruthlessly.
The air reeked of charred remains mixed with the dying fragrance of lilies, creating a grotesque and nauseating smell.
Rage instantly shattered Nicholas's composure.
Did she hate him that much?
Hate him enough to destroy his gifts in such a vicious way?
"Mr. Harrison!" The butler rushed over frantically.
"What happened?"
"It seems a servant made some mistake. Ms. Rodriguez took her away, probably to the police station. And Dreamy Garden, she..."
Nicholas's voice cut through the air like ice. "I will transfer this estate to her name. Whatever she wants to do with it is her business."
The butler pressed further, "Perhaps that servant did something terrible to make Ms. Rodriguez so furious. Should we investigate? Help Ms. Rodriguez somehow?"
"No need."
With that, Nicholas turned and walked away with cold finality.
Her affairs were no longer his concern.
Whatever punishment for servants, whatever burning of gardens—none of it mattered to him anymore.
If she could be so ruthless, then so be it.
They could never go back.
...
Deep into the night, Emma finally left the police station, its harsh fluorescent lights making her squint uncomfortably.
Julie was temporarily detained.
If she were willing to cooperate fully, she would be the key to exposing Karen.
This time, Karen wouldn't escape justice.
Returning to her empty house, exhaustion crashed over her like a tidal wave, instantly drowning her.
She curled up on the living room sofa, too drained to move even a finger.
Outside the window, a crescent moon hung against the ink-blue sky, casting cold light across the floor.
A thin layer of moisture gathered on her eyelashes.
She felt a chill seeping from her very bones.
Her body ached, but her heart ached even more.
Mary's gentle face flickered through her mind before quickly fading away.
She had promised Grandma she would nurture her marriage properly, that she would live well.
That unborn child remained an unhealed wound in her heart.
Twelve years of devotion had ultimately become a consuming fire that devoured everything.
The heat of those flames seemed to pierce through time, licking at her skin once more.
Tears fell without warning, streaming down her cheeks and dropping onto the sofa's soft fabric.
She wept—for lost loved ones, for her deceased child, for... that man who was no longer worth it.
She didn't know how long she had cried.
Eventually, she drifted into exhausted sleep.
The next day, at the Vast Star Hotel.
The largest ballroom had been reserved by Zoe for a thousand-person fan appreciation event.
Officially, it was to thank her supporters, but in reality, it was promotional campaigning for her new series.
Nearly every media outlet in the city had shown up.
The future Mrs. Harrison—that title carried enough weight that no one dared ignore the invitation.
The ballroom entrance swarmed with people, the atmosphere electric.
Fans waved glow sticks, clutching gifts and autograph books.
"Zoe, I love you!"
"Zoe, we'll always support you!"
The cheers rose and fell in waves, their enthusiasm threatening to lift the roof, more raucous than any concert venue.
Security and staff remained vigilant, carefully checking every entering fan to prevent any incidents.
Inside the dressing room, isolated from the outside chaos.
Zoe sat before her mirror as the makeup artist applied final touches.
Her makeup was flawless—vibrant eyeshadow, perfectly curled lashes, the entire look radiating carefully crafted beauty.
Her assistant entered carrying a person-sized teddy bear and some handmade gifts, bubbling with excitement.
"Ms. Perez, the ballroom is packed! Over a thousand people—it's a sea of bodies! So many fans couldn't even get in. We should have booked a stadium."
"Ms. Perez, these are fan gifts. Should I put them here?"
Zoe glanced over, her face instantly twisting with disgust.
"Get those space-wasting things out of here."
Her voice turned sharp, stripped of the sweetness she displayed for cameras.
"Don't leave them here cluttering up my space."
The assistant didn't dare argue, hurrying out with the teddy bear.
Zoe smoothed her dress and walked toward the side entrance leading to the stage.
Spotlights converged as music swelled.
She stepped onto the center stage, immediately plastering on a perfect smile.
The crowd below erupted in even more frenzied screaming.
"Hello everyone, I'm Zoe. Thank you all for coming today."
Her voice was honeyed, dripping with exactly the right amount of joy.
"Seeing so many familiar faces makes me incredibly, incredibly happy. Thank you for your unwavering support throughout this journey. Today's appreciation event is for you—without you, there would be no me."
"So, I love you all! Thank you!"
Zoe's charisma blazed as she took a bow.
That single "I love you all" triggered another round of screams, igniting the atmosphere to fever pitch.
Next, she had staff display the voting results on the big screen—currently, Harper held 53% support while she trailed at 47%. Just a small gap.
"Do you want to see me personally portray Elizabeth in your hearts?"
Elizabeth was the female lead's name in the novel—the starring role.
"Yes!" the crowd roared back excitedly.
"Then can I ask for your support today? Could you share this with friends and family and cheer me on?"
Zoe bowed again.
"Yes!" they shouted.
Zoe smiled as staff wheeled out a phone tower displaying five hundred of the latest smartphone models.
"Here's a live data screen. Once my numbers surpass Harper's, we'll hold a lucky draw right here on the spot—500 phones for all of you. Don't go anywhere!"
The atmosphere reached one climax after another.
The campaigning intensified. In just ten minutes, Zoe's support rate climbed to 51%, overtaking Harper.
The power of social media was truly terrifying!
The host immediately began the live drawing—one question, one phone—as fans reveled in the celebration.
Suddenly, the massive LED screen behind the stage flickered several times.
With a sharp static crackle, the screen went completely black.
The music cut off abruptly.
The crowd's cheering quieted as everyone looked confused toward the stage.
"It's okay, it's okay. Just a small technical issue. Please wait a moment." The host quickly called for backstage support.
Seconds later, the screen lit up again.
But instead of Zoe's sweet promotional photos and voting interface, something else appeared.
A marriage certificate.
The close-up shot clearly displayed the photos and names.
Nicholas and Emma.
The registration date was plainly visible: September 3rd, three years ago.
The entire ballroom fell into deathly silence.