Chapter 5 - THE WEDDING SHE NEVER AGREED TO
“Tomorrow?”
Aurora stared at the forged marriage agreement.
“Braden and I broke up six months ago!”
Dante scrolled through the paperwork.
The agreement appeared to have been prepared for use in a fraudulent transfer of Aurora's trust assets.
It wouldn't make Braden her husband.
But it revealed something far more disturbing.
Someone was constructing a paper trail that made it appear she had voluntarily surrendered control of her inheritance.
Aurora covered her mouth.
“He didn't want me back.”
Dante looked at her.
“He wanted access to what belonged to you.”
Memories rushed through her.
Braden insisting she quit her bakery job.
Braden criticizing her friends.
Braden asking repeatedly about her mother's documents.
She remembered one particular evening.
He had invited her to dinner at his father's mansion.
Richard Whitlock had casually asked whether she still possessed her mother's old recipe journal.
At the time, Aurora thought the question was strange.
Now her stomach twisted.
“My mother's cookbook.”
Dante frowned.
“What about it?”
“Richard asked about it constantly.”
“Where is it?”
“At my apartment.”
Dante immediately contacted Marco.
“Send a security team to Miss Reyes's residence. No confrontation. Just make sure nobody gets inside.”
Minutes later, Marco called back.
His voice was grim.
“Boss, we're too late.”
Aurora felt her chest tighten.
“What happened?”
“The apartment door was forced open. Someone searched every room.”
“My belongings?”
“Everything's overturned.”
Aurora sank into a chair.
Dante crouched beside her.
“We'll replace what was damaged.”
She shook her head.
“You don't understand.”
“Tell me.”
“That cookbook is the only thing my mother left me.”
Dante's phone vibrated again.
A photograph appeared.
It showed Aurora's apartment.
Her kitchen was destroyed.
May you like
On the counter lay a handwritten note.
WE HAVE THE BOOK. BRING AURORA TO US, OR WE TELL HER WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO HER MOTHER.
