After Losing My Legs I Learned My Fiancé Had a Fake Heart Chapter 04

After Losing My Legs I Learned My Fiancé Had a Fake Heart Chapter 04

The next morning, Simon arrived to pick up his bride. He had his arm around Chloe. The whole house buzzed with noise, and they were about to head out when he suddenly stopped.

“Where’s Vera?” An unease he couldn’t explain crept into his chest.

He ignored everyone’s protests and searched room by room. He got to the basement and found me curled up on the bed. A breath of relief escaped him. But what came out of his mouth was pure accusation.

“Chloe got up early in the morning to do her makeup—for you. And you’re down here hiding?”

“She already walked the aisle in your place. The least you can do is show your face at the reception and say a few words to thank her.”

I didn’t move.

He stood at the foot of the bed, voice hard. “No? Then that funding for the children’s home—”

I dragged myself up. “Fine. I’ll go.”

But the moment I tried to transfer into the wheelchair, I crashed to the floor. One of the screws had been loosened.

Simon’s body jerked toward me on instinct, but then he stopped himself. A cold smirk twisted his lips.

“Earlier, Chloe told me she saw you messing with your own wheelchair. I didn’t want to believe it. You’d really stoop that low just to get a reaction out of me?”

“No, it was her who—”

He grabbed my chin, his grip bruising. “And now you’re going to pin it on her again? She’s been with me all morning. Think before you lie.”

“And what’s your problem this time? She was just a stand-in. You’re still the real bride. You can’t even let her have that?”

Chloe wept, her voice cracking. “Vera, even though I won the bet, if you really can’t accept this, I won’t ruin your wedding. I’ll give him back to you right now.”

She tugged at her gown as she spoke, tears splashing onto the floor, hands trembling so violently that the pearl necklace snapped and scattered everywhere.

“Enough!” Simon grabbed her hands.

But I just stared at the pearls rolling across the floor. Those were the pearls Simon had hand-dived for in Australia when he confessed to me.

He’d said, “My heart for you is like these pearls—every single one is unique.” Now that same unique promise belonged to Chloe, too.

Voices erupted outside. A swarm of reporters had flooded the property. Simon’s face darkened.

“You planned this? What’s the story you want them to write? ‘Dancer Maims Sister on Wedding Day’—you’d destroy Chloe?”

“Fine. Let’s see how you like a taste of it.”

“You set this up? What do you want them to run with—’Crippled Bride Tries to Destroy Her Sister on Wedding Day’? You’d actually drag Chloe through the mud just to play the victim?”

“Let them in.”

I didn’t even have time to react before I was thrown to the ground. A wave of journalists poured in, cameras flashing.

“Chloe Channing is the woman I’m marrying. She’s the one I choose—publicly, officially. Vera Channing is nothing but a woman who stole her sister’s fiancé.”

Simon shielded Chloe and walked out.

“I can’t believe it—a polished, brilliant dancer like that, and she’s this vicious behind closed doors!”

“Stole the real heiress’s fiancé and then tried to frame her!”

“Serves her right losing her legs. Let’s see her seduce her sister’s man now.”

One reporter started filming the room. “Mr. Rhodes sure is generous—thousands of dollars in gifts just tossed in the trash. Guess Vera’s got quite the temper.”

“Wait, there’s a note here.”

“‘We’re done…'”

“I bet this is what Rhodes wrote to her! She’s the one who wouldn’t let go. She couldn’t even throw away the breakup note.”

“Pathetic. Desperate.”

“Get a shot of this. Let everyone see what shameless clinging looks like.”

The basement was a wreck. Half an hour later, dozens of helicopters closed in on the estate.

The roar of their blades shook the walls.