Chapter 4 - THE BEST MAN WHO WANTED THE BRIDE GONE.

Julian was Cameron’s cousin and chief financial officer of Whitmore Estates.

He had spent months telling Cameron that Isabella’s family wanted access to Whitmore vineyards, distribution contracts, and hotel accounts.

Isabella had dismissed the insults as old-money arrogance.

Now she understood they had been preparation.

If the marriage failed publicly, the Whitmores could call her unstable, greedy, and violent. If Cameron appeared impaired, Julian could trigger an emergency voting clause and take control of the company before the wedding trust became active at midnight.

Diane called the plan absurd.

Sofia played another recording.

Julian’s voice said:

“Make her look dangerous. A working-class bride with blood on her dress will tell the story for us.”

The red streaks on Isabella were not blood. They came from crushed cosmetic pigment smeared onto her skin during the struggle over the locked door.

Cameron stared at her.

“They staged your appearance.”

Isabella’s answer was bitter.

“They did not need to prove I hurt anyone. They only needed guests to see a poor woman crying in an expensive dress.”

Robert checked the wedding trust.

At midnight, Isabella would gain a protected voting share in Whitmore Vineyards because her family had contributed a parcel of land to the marriage agreement.

That parcel was worth far more than she had been told.

Then Sofia revealed why.

The land contained the only legal road into Whitmore’s planned luxury resort.

Without Isabella’s signature, the entire development failed.

A notification appeared on Cameron’s phone.

The road easement had just been transferred.

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THE TEDDY BEAR SAW EVERYTHING.

THE BEGGAR WHO CAME HOME.

SHE HEARD MOMMY UNDER THE FLOOR.

Isabella’s signature was attached.

She had never signed it.