Chapter 164: Wedding

Chapter 164: Wedding

Claire watched the video, her entire body turning cold with fury.

Her lips pressed into a thin line, fists clenched so tight her knuckles turned white.

The video showed Daphne and Carol arguing over their cut of the money.

Daphne snapped, "We agreed—you get three million, I get seven. What's this crap about only giving me five?"

Carol rolled her eyes. "What do you need that much money for? Besides, without me, you wouldn't get a dime."

"Seven million. Not a penny less. If you don't pay up, I'll expose everything."

"Don't forget, you're my daughter. If the Montague family finds out I kidnapped their daughter all those years ago, they'll hate you too."

"Let them hate me. I've got nothing to gain from them anyway. But you? You kidnapped their child. The Montague family will make sure you rot in prison."

"You heartless bitch. There's no one in this world as cruel as you."

"I'm not the cruel one. You never raised me a single day, but now you want to squeeze money out of me. Quit stalling and transfer the money, or else."

Claire stopped listening. She didn't care who won their little feud.

All she felt was burning rage.

So Carol was the reason she'd spent all those years lost and alone.

If Sarah found out, it would destroy her.

Carol had stolen Claire, and Sarah had spent over a decade raising Carol's daughter in her place.

And that daughter, Daphne, had teamed up with Carol to swindle her out of ten million dollars.

Perfect.

Let them rot in prison together.

Claire headed straight to the police station to file a report.

As for home—Sarah wouldn't be able to handle this. She'd tell her mother slowly, later.

But bringing Daphne and Carol to justice? That couldn't wait another second.

She'd just stepped into the station courtyard when a police car pulled in. She moved aside.

Two women were being escorted out.

She recognized one of them immediately—Daphne.

And the other? None other than Carol.

Claire frowned. Had they committed other crimes too?

Just then, a familiar Rolls-Royce pulled up.

Saskia got out and opened the door. Vincent stepped out.

A suspicion formed in Claire's mind. She walked toward him.

"Did you report them?" Claire asked.

"Baby, you—" Vincent hesitated. "You came to the station to report them too?"

Claire nodded. "Where did you get the evidence?"

"After you told me Aunt Sarah gave her ten million, I had someone follow her."

"So you suspected something was off from the start?"

Vincent's eyes turned cold. "Such a crude scam would only fool someone as kind as Aunt Sarah."

As Daphne was being led inside, she suddenly turned and spotted Vincent and Claire.

She screamed hysterically, "Claire! I hate you! You've ruined my entire life!"

An officer barked, "Quiet down."

Just as they were about to take her away, Claire spoke up. "Wait a moment, please."

She walked slowly toward Daphne.

Daphne, restrained by the officers, looked utterly disheveled. Her eyes shot daggers at Claire.

Claire's voice was calm. "You say I ruined you. What exactly did I ruin? Did I scheme against you behind your back? Isn't it your own greed and lack of boundaries that got you here?"

Claire's words struck a nerve. Daphne already regretted everything.

But it was too late now.

"You should never have come back!" Daphne shrieked at Claire, all dignity abandoned.

She'd once been a celebrated heiress. After leaving the Montague family, she'd felt nothing but shame.

Scamming Sarah out of that ten million had been her ticket out—a chance to leave the country, escape everything familiar, and start over.

Now she was a prisoner. Her entire life was over. What did she care about dignity anymore?

Claire saw no remorse in her, only defiance. Her eyes turned cold.

No point in saying more. She turned and walked away.

Daphne's actions constituted fraud, involving a substantial sum. Given her young age, she was sentenced to eighteen months in prison.

Carol, for child abduction under aggravated circumstances, received fifteen years.

The media covered the story extensively.

Claire also released the original photo Daphne had used to manufacture rumors about her relationship with Vincent.

Online users finally realized Daphne had never been involved—it had all been her own publicity stunt.

Daphne's reputation completely collapsed.

When Sarah learned the truth, she fell seriously ill.

……

Three years later, the day after Claire's college graduation, a lavish society wedding took place at a castle estate in Crystalbrook.

The bride and groom: Vincent and Claire.

The date had been chosen for one reason—Vincent and all the elders simply couldn't wait any longer.

Vincent's exact words: "Baby, I'm thirty-three. If we don't get married soon, I really will become the old man you don't want."

Political and business elites flocked to attend.

Cordelia served as maid of honor, keeping Claire company in the dressing room.

Just before the ceremony, the door opened and a man who looked like a lawyer walked in.

"Ms. Montague, I've been entrusted to deliver this to you." The lawyer handed Claire an elegant box.

Claire didn't open it immediately. "Did she leave any message?"

The lawyer replied, "Everything she wanted to say is inside."

Claire understood.

She opened the box. Inside lay a black bank card and a letter.

Claire, I wish you a happy wedding and a lifetime of happiness with Vincent.

There was more, but halfway through, Sarah entered. Seeing Claire's troubled expression, she rushed over in alarm. "Sweetheart, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

"Mom, I'm fine." Claire handed her the letter.

Sarah read it and sank onto the sofa, silent for a long moment. When she finally spoke, her voice was barely a whisper. "I should hate her. But how can I hate her?"

The letter was from Sandra.

It turned out that the night Carol had stolen her, Sandra had also planned to kidnap her from the hospital.

For revenge.

Brian had led the operation that destroyed Sandra's father's criminal organization. Her father had been shot and killed in that raid.

She'd wanted to avenge him.

Sandra had also been Sarah's friend who'd suddenly disappeared. She'd cut contact because of her hatred for Brian—she couldn't remain friends with Sarah.

Sandra had gone to take Claire, but arrived too late. Carol had already handed Claire off to her husband.

Sandra followed the man. After he abandoned Claire, Sandra took her.

Sandra's original plan had been to raise her and eventually use her against Brian.

But in the end, she couldn't go through with it. She left Claire at an orphanage instead.

The reason the Montague family had eventually found her? An anonymous letter from Sandra.

Along with the letter, the bank card contained ten billion dollars in cash.

Sandra said it was compensation.

Completely unnecessary. Claire didn't hate her at all.

She picked up her phone and typed a message.

[Sandra, I don't need your compensation. I just need you to show up. I miss you.]

[My mom misses you too.]

"Get ready, the ceremony's about to start," someone announced at the door.

Sarah immediately composed herself and smiled. "Sweetheart, today is your special day. I'm upset, yes, but this letter also resolved something that's haunted me for years. I should be happy."

The ceremony began.

Claire walked slowly toward the stage on Brian's arm.

Guests on both sides turned to watch, their admiration audible.

"The bride is gorgeous."

"The groom is so handsome."

"A match made in heaven!"

On stage, Vincent wore a custom ivory suit, his tall frame radiating elegance. Though distance obscured his expression, she could feel his burning gaze locked on her with every step.

When she reached the stage, Brian placed her hand in Vincent's.

Vincent clasped both hands around hers and whispered in her ear, "Mrs. Thorne, happy wedding day."

Claire blinked in surprise, then broke into a radiant smile. "Mr. Thorne, you look incredibly handsome today."