Chapter 3 - THE UNCLE'S SHADOW
The room shifted its focus immediately.
Three hundred heads turned toward the VIP section on the elevated east terrace, where Julian Harrington—Ethan's uncle and the vice chairman of Harrington Global—sat alone at a round table, holding a glass of bourbon.
Julian didn't look panicked. He slowly took a sip from his glass, set it down on the white tablecloth, and adjusted his silk pocket square.
"Arthur," Julian said loudly, his voice smooth and authoritative. "You always were fond of theatrical entrances. I suppose hiding in Switzerland for five years made you lonely."
"Not lonely, Julian," Vance replied. "Just patient. Waiting for the day Ethan turned thirty-five."
Ethan stepped away from Victoria, leaving her kneeling amidst the open folds of her ruined gown. He walked toward the terrace stairs, his dark eyes locked onto his uncle.
"What is he talking about, Julian?" Ethan demanded.
"Your grandfather was an old man with dementia when he died, Ethan," Julian said, standing up and buttoning his jacket. "He made absurd promises in his final months. Arthur Vance was trying to plunder the estate by manipulating a dying man's mind. I paid Vance to disappear so our family wouldn't be dragged through a public probate court mess."
"Lies!" Vance barked from the balcony. "The late Marcus Harrington was as sharp as a razor until his last breath! He knew you were draining the offshore accounts, Julian. That's why he changed his will!"
Vance unlaced the string around the leather folder and pulled out a heavy parchment document with a red wax seal.
"According to Marcus Harrington's final directive," Vance announced, reading aloud so the entire ballroom could hear, "the entire voting control of Harrington Global—eighty percent of the master stock—does not automatically pass to Ethan on his thirty-five birthday."
Ethan stopped at the base of the terrace stairs. "What?"
"It passes to Ethan only if he is married and has a legitimate heir," Vance read. "If Ethan remains unmarried by his thirty-fifth birthday—which is next month—the voting control defaults entirely to his uncle, Julian Harrington."
The crowd murmured. The pieces of the puzzle began clicking together with horrifying speed.
Ethan looked at Victoria, who was still weeping on the floor, surrounded by hotel staff who didn't know whether to help her or arrest her.
"You knew," Ethan said, turning back to his fiancée. "You weren't trying to trap me into marrying you. Julian promised you a cut."
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Victoria looked up, her face pale. "Ethan, no... he told me you'd never find out! He said if I announced the pregnancy tonight, the board would force you to marry me before your birthday next month! Julian said he'd give my family ten percent of the resort division!"
"You stupid girl," Julian spat, his cool composure finally breaking as he glared down at Victoria. "You couldn't even keep a three-year-old child from looking at your costume."
