My Marriage License, His Public Fall

elyn

body was a roadmap of pain, each bruise and cut a testament to the brutal efficiency of Chace's security

ad found me barely conscious in Chace' s penthouse, rushed me back to the hospital, and once again, handled every detail with a calm efficiency that

tors say you're going to be okay. But you need to rest

ristian," I whispered, my voice raw and hoarse. "He saw me. He saw

twitching in his cheek. "He's a fool

round me, told me it was for my protection, and then left me to rot in it." The words were

. "I know. And we're going to ge

from the prying eyes of the media and the shadow of the Bentley empire. He encouraged me to rediscover my passion for interior desi

ty, an act of defiance against the man who had tried to erase me. Kristian saw my talent, nurtured it, and arranged for small, freelance design projects through his vast network. He treated me wi

nxiety, the need for Chace' s approval – it all began to fade. I started to glow. My eyes, once perpetually haunte

ternating between frustrated demands for me to "come home" and thinly veiled threats about the co

le technical glitches and security breaches. The timing was too perfect. I knew it was Chace. He was trying to sabotage Kri

Kristian," I said, my vo

yes. "He can try. But he underestimates us, Grace

ssaults. With Kristian' s help, I began to understand the true nature of Chace's "love"

ng from magazine covers, hailed as a visionary, a new titan of industry. He scheduled a grand press conference, a triumphant celebration of his a

s to finalize my divorce papers, citing irreconcilable differences and emotion

he new heir and the announcement of his society wedding. Chace stood on the podium, Celina by his side, looking every inch the victorious power couple. He be

an from that cold night. I wore a tailored cream suit that Kristian had insisted on, simple yet elegant, a sy

face. He faltered for a second, but quickly regained his composure, dismissing me with a curt nod, a silent warning to

"And now," he announced, his voice booming, "I have a very special

r and strong, cutting through the anticipatory hush,

inding flurry. Celina' s face contorted in a sneer. Cha

ehind me. I pulled out the crisp white envelope from my bag, the divorce pape

ce lunged forward, his face a mask of fury. "

the marriage certificate for all the cameras to see. "We were secretly married five year

' s gaslighting, his dismissals, his threats, even his cruel "charity" remark from

your back, the roof over your head,

ough the crowd. Chace' s face drained of color. Celin

e years. He branded me a stalker, had me arrested, had me beaten, all to protect his family's image and hi

he sound echoing like a gunshot. "Consider this your official notice,

crumbling around him. The public opinion, once firmly on his side, had flipped with a visceral, vengeful force. His reputation, his meticulously crafted image, was in r