CEO Handed a Single Dad a Wedding Invitation—Then Whispered, “You’re the Groom”
Chapter 5
I almost called off the wedding.
Not because I was afraid of Victoria.
Because I was afraid for Lily.
I told Victoria that.
She listened without interrupting.
Then she said,
“You’re right.”
I looked at her.
“What?”
“You shouldn’t marry me.”
That surprised me.
“You were the one who asked.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
“Because if you’re only doing this because you feel responsible…”
She shook her head.
“I don’t want that.”
I sat down.
“Then what do you want?”
She was quiet for a long time.
“I want someone who doesn’t leave when things become difficult.”
I looked at her.
“That’s all?”
“No.”
She took a breath.
“I want someone I can trust.”
“Do you trust me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because when you thought I was asking you to marry me for money, you still worried about your daughter before yourself.”
I swallowed.
“That matters to you?”
“More than anything.”
She looked away.
“My father taught me that.”
I nodded.
“Then let’s do this.”
She stared.
“Are you sure?”
“No.”
She almost laughed.
“That’s honest.”
“I am sure about one thing.”
“What?”
“I don’t want Richard anywhere near Lily.”
Victoria nodded.
“Neither do I.”
We moved forward.
The wedding preparations continued.
But we also hired private security.
Victoria’s legal team investigated Richard.
We discovered he had been purchasing shares through hidden accounts.
He had also been moving money through companies connected to the old financial network.
But he wasn’t the only person involved.
Another name appeared.
Andrew Sterling.
Victoria’s cousin.
The same man who had publicly supported her.
The same man who had offered to help during the board crisis.
I looked at the records.
“He’s involved.”
Victoria shook her head.
“I don’t want to believe that.”
“Why?”
“He’s family.”
“So was Richard.”
She didn’t answer.
That night, Lily asked Victoria a question.
“Are you scared?”
Victoria looked surprised.
“Sometimes.”
“Of my dad?”
“No.”
“Of the wedding?”
Victoria smiled.
“Maybe a little.”
Lily nodded.
“Dad gets scared too.”
Victoria looked at me.
“He does?”
“Sometimes.”
Lily ran away.
Victoria smiled.
“I like her.”
“I know.”
She looked at me.
“Daniel?”
“Yeah?”
“If this becomes real…”
“What?”
“I don’t know how to be a wife.”
I laughed.
“That makes two of us.”
“I’ve never had a normal relationship.”
“Neither have I.”
“Then maybe we’ll learn.”
We looked at each other.
For a moment, the room became quiet.
I stepped closer.
“Victoria…”
She looked up.
“What?”
I almost kissed her.
Almost.
Then my phone rang.
A police officer.
There had been an attempted break-in at my house.
Lily was safe.
My mother was safe.
But someone had searched my study.
They had taken one thing.
My father’s old watch.
I stared at Victoria.
She understood immediately.
“Richard knows about the recording.”
The wedding was three days away.
And someone was running out of time.
