Chapter 2 - The Mother’s Ultimatum
The next morning, I didn't go to work. I went to the bridal boutique where my wedding dress was being held. I paid the cancellation fee without blinking an eye. As I walked out, a luxury limousine pulled up to the curb. The tinted window rolled down, revealing the cold, aristocratic face of Eleanor Cole—Adrian’s mother.
"Get in, Evelyn," Eleanor commanded, her voice dripping with artificial upper-class warmth. "We need to talk."
I climbed into the back seat, sitting across from the matriarch who had spent the last two years treating me like a charity case her son had brought home.
"Adrian told me what happened," Eleanor said, smoothing her Chanel skirt. "He is deeply embarrassed. Young men in high-stress positions sometimes make foolish mistakes with the help. It’s distasteful, yes, but it’s a private matter. I’ve already drafted a non-disclosure agreement for the girl. We will give her fifty thousand dollars, and she will disappear."
I stared at her, feeling a deep wave of revulsion. "Fifty thousand dollars to force a terrified girl into hiding, Eleanor? Is that what a human life is worth to your family?"
Eleanor’s smile vanished, replaced by an icy glare. "Don't play the righteous lawyer with me, girl. You are marrying into the Cole family. Your nonprofit benefits from our name. If Adrian’s reputation is damaged, the merger fails, and your lifestyle goes down with it. Think about your future."
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"My future doesn't include a family of monsters," I said, reaching for the door handle. "Tell Adrian that the video is already in the hands of the compliance board. The merger is dead, Eleanor. And so is his career."
Before she could scream at me, I stepped out of the limousine and slammed the door. The battle lines were officially drawn.
