Chapter 166

Chapter 166

Brent moved faster than I'd ever imagined possible.

In less than three days, Marlowe's entire hand was laid bare.

When Luca placed an encrypted black flash drive in my palm, his expression was unusually grave.

It contained all of Marlowe's transfer records, encrypted call recordings, and her detailed plan to use offshore accounts to drain the White Group's liquid assets while orchestrating the feud between the White Group and the Wilson Group.

I sat on a bench in the hospital corridor, staring at the damning evidence on my laptop screen, cold sweat beading down my spine.

That snake Marlowe had been willing to collude with The Gilded Tripoint's criminals just to swallow the White Group whole.

She'd exploited my mother's death as a weapon, trying to kill two birds with one stone. If I hadn't insisted on uncovering the truth, Benjamin and I would have walked straight into her trap and destroyed each other.

Without a moment's hesitation, I encrypted all the files and sent them directly to Sawyer in Suncrest City.

When the video call connected, Sawyer was sitting in his estate's sunroom.

He stared at the ironclad evidence on screen in silence for a full ten minutes.

Sunlight streamed through the glass, illuminating his graying hair. He seemed to have aged years overnight.

He'd thought he was avenging my mother all this time, never realizing he'd been someone's weapon.

"I spent ten years investigating, only to be played for a fool by a mole." Sawyer's voice carried deep exhaustion, but also a hint of relief. He closed his eyes, a single cloudy tear sliding down his cheek.

He showed no mercy.

The White family's roots ran deep in Europe. Sawyer immediately pulled strings to cut off all of Marlowe's overseas funding.

Meanwhile, Brent turned over all the evidence to the police.

Just as Marlowe tried to flee through Harbor City Airport with a fake passport, police arrested her right at the gate.

Her carefully orchestrated conspiracy crumbled completely. What awaited her was a long prison sentence and the full weight of the law.

That evening, after everything was resolved, Sawyer called again.

"Ophelia, bring him home." Sawyer sighed, his gaze finally softening. "I was too stubborn before, blinded by hatred. Now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, your wedding should be put on the calendar. I won't stand in your way anymore."

Hearing those words, my nose stung. The weight that had pressed on my chest for days shattered instantly.

I nodded hard, tears of joy filling my eyes.

I pushed open the sterile room door and shared the good news with Benjamin.

He was propped against the headboard while Emily's grandfather examined him.

When he heard my words, he froze for a moment. Then those deep black eyes blazed with astonishing light.

He yanked the IV tape off the back of his hand and grabbed my wrist with trembling force.

"Mr. White really agreed?" His voice was hoarse but couldn't hide his euphoria.

"He agreed." I touched his gaunt face, soothing him gently. "So you need to get better fast. I don't want to attend my own wedding alone."

Benjamin didn't waste a second.

He immediately had Luca contact Brent and Olivia.

When they got the news, they didn't hesitate—they flew back to Harbor City on a private jet that very night.

Two days later, Sawyer returned from Suncrest City as well.

Both families' elders met formally in the VIP conference room on the hospital's top floor. After enduring life-and-death trials and conspiracies, both Brent and Sawyer had let go of their old grudges.

"What happened back then—both our families were manipulated." Brent spoke first, his tone sincere. "From now on, if Benjamin dares mistreat Ophelia, I'll be the first to call him out."

At the conference table, Sawyer took a thick document from Mia and pushed it directly in front of me.

"Sign it." Sawyer looked at me, his tone brooking no argument. "These are all of the White family's core shares in Europe and domestically. Starting today, you're the White Group's sole heir."

I stared at the document, emotions churning. Sawyer was giving me the strongest foundation possible while showing the White family's full support for this marriage.

Watching this, Brent and Olivia also made a public commitment to allocate the Wilson Group's best resources to the White Group as my wedding gift.

Under Emily's groundbreaking immunotherapy, Benjamin's condition miraculously turned around.

The cancer cells were effectively controlled, and his vitals began steadily improving.

He stopped running fevers every night, and color finally returned to his cheeks.

A month later, our wedding was held as scheduled at Harbor City's most prestigious Regal Crest Hotel.

It was a sun-drenched afternoon.

The lawn was carpeted with imported white roses. When the breeze blew, the air filled with rich floral fragrance.

I wore a custom haute couture wedding dress, the train studded with tiny diamonds that sparkled brilliantly in the sunlight.

As the wedding march played, I walked down the petal-strewn aisle on Sawyer's arm, step by step toward the end of the red carpet.

Benjamin stood there in a perfectly tailored black tuxedo, his posture tall and straight.

Though still recovering and somewhat thin, the way he looked at me burned hot enough to melt anyone.

Sawyer placed my hand in Benjamin's palm.

"I'm entrusting Ophelia to you. If you let her suffer again, I won't go easy on you." Sawyer's warning was stern.

"You have my word." Benjamin gripped my hand tightly, his gaze firm as iron. "I'll protect her with my life."

We exchanged vows and rings under the minister's witness.

When he lifted my veil and kissed me, thunderous applause erupted throughout the venue.

All the misunderstandings, pain, and struggles dissolved in that kiss.

The wedding's grandeur was broadcast live, quickly dominating news headlines.

That evening, I changed into my toast-making dress in the bridal suite. My phone on the vanity suddenly vibrated.

I picked it up. A long message filled the screen.

The sender was Michael.

[Ophelia, I watched your wedding video. You looked beautiful. Seeing you so happy now, I suddenly realized how ridiculous I used to be. I was deceived by Freya—for a fraud, I hurt the person I should never have hurt. In the end, I lost everything. Every day I've been regretting it. If I hadn't betrayed you back then, would I be the one standing beside you now?

But I know there's no going back. I'm sorry. I wish you both every happiness.]

I stared at this regret-filled message, completely unmoved. Michael's remorse came too late and meant too little.

Belated affection is cheaper than grass.

I didn't reply. I calmly hit delete and blocked his number.

People from the past should stay in the past.

In my world now, there was only Benjamin.

Night deepened, stars glittering overhead.

The guests had dispersed, the commotion fading to quiet.

Only a few dim wall lamps remained lit in the bridal suite, the air carrying a faint rose scent.

I'd just finished showering and walked out of the bathroom in a silk robe.

Benjamin was already waiting by the bed.

He stepped forward and pulled me into his arms, chin resting against my neck as he greedily breathed in my scent.

"Finally made you mine." His voice was low and rough, barely containing his excitement and deep devotion.

He scooped me up and gently laid me on the petal-covered bed. His kisses fell like dense rain—from my forehead, nose, trailing down to my collarbone.

He couldn't get enough of me, his movements tender as if handling a priceless, fragile treasure.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, responding to him with equal fervor.

We intertwined our fingers on the bed, palms pressed together, even our breathing mingling. His body heat seeped through my skin, driving away all my insecurities.

"Ophelia." He paused, those deep black eyes looking straight into mine, his voice as solemn as a vow. "I love you. This lifetime, we'll never be apart."

I looked at him, eyes growing hot, gripping his hand tighter.

"Never apart."