Chapter 13
The moment she voiced her doubt, the wedding staff immediately began rattling off the bill.
“The gown Miss Rhodes is wearing is a custom piece by international designer Mela–worth two hundred million.”
“The sapphire necklace around your neck was purchased at auction for a final bid of one hundred million.”
“As for the wine served during the banquet, it was air–shipped from France–premium vintage, of course, so…”
“Stop! Stop talking!”
Madeline clutched her ears and screamed.
She thought marrying Grayson would free her from financial concerns. She just assumed everything would be the best of the best.
But she hadn’t expected their definition of “the best” to be this expensive.
The status symbols she once flaunted with pride had now become the weights dragging her straight from heaven to hell.
Grayson remained calm, holding the invoice in one hand as he stood before her.
“Think carefully, Miss Rhodes.”
“Do you want to marry my dog, or sign off on this eight–hundred–million–dollar bill?”
Madeline bit down on her lip so hard that blood began to drip from her mouth.
Her shoulders trembled violently as she stared, petrified, at the snarling pug in front of her.
Then, she squeezed her eyes shut and gave in.
“Fine. I’ll marry it.”
The moment the words left her lips, security swooped in and rearranged the venue.
Grayson and the rest of the staff all stepped back from the stage.
A steel fence, sharp–spiked at the top, was lowered–trapping Madeline and the dog in the center of the platform.
Grayson let out a chilling laugh. “Since Miss Rhodes has agreed to marry Snort, then let’s begin the ceremony.”
With a nod from him, the staff activated the switch on the cage. The gate clicked open. Out came Snort, foaming at the mouth.
Clearly wild–trained–it ate live animals, after all.
Now, with a warm, delicate human right in front of it, the dog went berserk.
Eyes glowing red, it lunged at Madeline.
She screamed, clawing at the steel barrier, begging the guests for help.
But what she didn’t realize was–people like her, in their eyes, weren’t worth saving.
To them, this wedding had already exceeded expectations.
They got a marriage and a freak show all in one.
Lips curled in amusement, they watched like it was the best entertainment they’d seen in years.
Realizing no one would come to her rescue, Madeline tore apart her two–hundred–million–dollar dress.
She ran circles around the enclosure, desperately trying to keep her distance.
Sport, after all, was still a dog. Not exactly the smartest.
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It chased her frantically, only to crash straight into one of the steel spikes.
The farce ended with Snort injured.
Grayson brought both Madeline and the dog home.
Snort had two gaping holes in its belly. Madeline? Got two hard slaps across the face.
“You let your husband get hurt on your wedding day. That’s how you play the role of a wife?”
Madeline collapsed to the floor, clutching her cheek in pain.
But through her humiliation, she crawled forward and clung to his leg.
“Grayson, please… it’s just a dog! I’m not its wife!”
“I belong to you. I’ve only ever wanted to marry you.”
Tears streamed down her face.
She was still wearing the white wedding gown–hair a tangled mess, expression stubborn yet fragile.
The image alone made her look utterly pitiful.
Grayson crouched down and wiped away her tears with his thumb.
Then he gripped her chin–hard.
“After all this time, you still haven’t learned your lesson.”
“What is it? Did your parents never teach you how to be a decent human being?”
Madeline opened her mouth to explain that her parents were dead–but then, she saw them. Dragged in by Grayson’s men.
Her dad was hauled in from some sketchy casino.
Her mom had been caught in a shopping mall, splurging on designer bags and showing off to the clerks–bragging that she was Grayson Whitaker’s mother–in–law.
Grayson nudged Madeline with his foot.
“Well? Know these people?”
She dropped her head instantly, avoiding his gaze.
“N… no. I don’t.”
He raised a brow. “They’re criminals. Fell into my hands.”
“And since you don’t know them, I’ll have them taken care of.”
At that, both her parents dropped to their knees, wailing in terror.
“Maddie, you can’t turn your back on us! We sacrificed everything to raise you!”
“We’ve barely had any happiness. You can’t just stand there and watch us die!”
They crawled toward her, clawing at her dress.
Madeline wished she could have them dragged away that very second.
“Get off me! I said I don’t know you!”
When their desperate pleas fell on deaf ears, her mother changed tactics and latched onto Grayson’s leg instead.
“Grayson, please! I really am her mother! I’ve got the birth certificate right here!”
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Grayson looked down at Madeline from above, voice frigid.
“An orphan? Parents long dead?”
Panic flashed in her eyes. “I didn’t mean to lie to you. I just wanted you to care more about me.”
“Grayson, please don’t be mad…”
He snapped. The investigative files were flung at her face.
“Didn’t mean to lie?”
“What about all those staged disappearances? Every scheme you pulled on Savannah–those weren’t intentional either?!”
Madeline trembled as she flipped through the pages, each one filled with damning evidence.
Now now she finally panicked for real.
Her tears this time weren’t for show. They were pure fear.
She knew exactly how she’d gotten here. She’d trampled Savannah on her way up. And she knew just how deep Grayson’s feelings for Savannah ran.
If Grayson had never loved her at all-
Why would Madeline have orchestrated ten elaborate disappearances, each meticulously designed to tear them apart?
She dropped to her knees and bowed again and again.
“Grayson–no, Mr. Whitaker, please, just let me go this once.”
“I’ll leave right now. I’ll never fight Savannah for the title of Mrs. Whitaker again.”
