Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: The Paper Inside the Ring Box
Olivia walked to the fallen ring box with trembling hands.The rings were not inside, but the folded paper Ryan had planted was still there.She opened it.Her eyes moved across the page.Then she looked at Ryan.“What is this?”Ryan swallowed. “Nothing.”Thomas stepped beside his daughter and took the paper.His expression darkened.“This is a copy of the prenuptial agreement,” he said. “A page that was removed from the final version.”The guests whispered.Olivia stared at Ryan. “Removed?”Thomas looked at Ryan with cold disappointment.“This clause would have given Ryan a financial claim if the wedding was canceled due to public embarrassment caused by your family.”Olivia’s face drained of color.Ryan stepped forward. “That’s not what it looks like.”“It is exactly what it looks like,” Thomas said.Emily began to understand.Ryan had planned the chaos.If Lily was blamed for ruining the wedding, Emily would be humiliated. Olivia’s family would be dragged into scandal. Ryan could act like the wounded groom, pressure Olivia, and use the planted document to threaten the Whitmores.But why frame Lily?Then Samantha laughed bitterly near the exit.“Because your sister heard us,” she said.Ryan spun around. “Shut up.”Samantha’s smile shook, but she did not stop.“She saw us arguing in the hallway. Ryan panicked. He said if Emily spoke, no one would believe her after her kid ruined the wedding.”Emily felt cold.Ryan had not just blamed Lily.He had chosen her.A child.His own niece.To protect himself.
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