Paralyzed Millionaire Was Abandoned at the Altar — Then He Looked at the Maid and Said…
Chapter 9
Ethan’s entire wedding suddenly looked different.
The flowers.
The guest list.
The seating.
Amelia’s family.
Richard’s presence.
It hadn’t been a celebration.
It had been an opportunity.
Someone had planned to kill Ethan publicly.
The question was how.
They searched the church records.
A security technician had been hired for the wedding.
He had disappeared that same day.
His equipment list contained one strange item.
A modified power unit.
The church lights.
The sound system.
The emergency exit controls.
Everything could have been manipulated.
Ethan realized the wedding had been intended as another attack.
But Amelia had left before the ceremony.
Why?
They found her.
She finally told the truth.
“My father discovered what Richard was planning.”
“And?”
“He told me to leave.”
“Why didn’t you warn me?”
Amelia began crying.
“Because Richard threatened my family.”
“You abandoned me.”
“I know.”
“You left me in front of everyone.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
“Because he said if I warned you, they would kill my father.”
Ethan stared.
“Did you know Grace?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“She was in the files.”
Ethan’s expression hardened.
“Richard had been watching her.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because her brother had evidence.”
“Where?”
Amelia looked at Grace.
“Your brother gave it to me.”
Grace froze.
“Where is it?”
“I never opened it.”
She handed Grace a small key.
“This was hidden in my apartment.”
Grace stared at it.
The key matched a storage locker.
They went there.
Inside was a hard drive.
Noah had recorded everything.
Illegal safety violations.
Bribery.
Forged reports.
Payments.
And Richard’s instructions.
The evidence was overwhelming.
Then a final video appeared.
Richard speaking directly to the camera.
Ethan will inherit everything if he gets married.
Grace looked at Ethan.
“What does that mean?”
Ethan frowned.
His grandfather’s will.
He had never checked the condition.
They opened it.
There it was.
Ethan would inherit control of Caldwell Industries only if he married and remained married for one year.
Otherwise, Richard would receive the controlling shares.
Ethan stared.
The wedding hadn’t been about love.
It had been about control.
Amelia had been forced to leave.
Grace had been placed near Ethan.
The accident had been the first attempt.
The wedding had been the second.
Richard had designed both.
And Ethan’s grandfather had spent years trying to stop him.
Then Richard appeared on the screen again.
If Ethan marries the maid, the control shares become unreachable.
The video ended.
Grace looked at Ethan.
“They knew.”
“Yes.”
“They knew we’d fall in love.”
Ethan shook his head.
“No.”
He looked at her.
“They didn’t know.”
“Know what?”
“They thought you were only a maid.”
Grace smiled faintly.
“And you?”
“I know exactly who you are.”
