A Bride Kicked an Elderly Beggar, Unaware of the Billionaire Standing Behind Her — Part 2

Previously: Chloe thought she was marrying into ultimate wealth, but a cruel gesture toward a helpless old woman at the altar ruined her life before the vows were even spoken.

The Billionaire's Secret

Chloe sat frozen in the cold mud, her heart hammering against her ribs. The silence that fell over the vineyard was deafening. Guests stood with their mouths open, and even the string quartet had stopped playing. Julian, her groom, rushed down the aisle, but instead of helping Chloe up, he ran straight past her. He knelt beside the elderly woman in the ragged sweater, his face pale with worry.

"Grandmother! Are you okay?" Julian cried, gently helping her sit up.

Chloe’s breath hitched. Grandmother? This filthy, ragged woman was the matriarch of the multi-billion-dollar estate?

Arthur stood over Chloe, his eyes burning like hot coals. He didn't offer her a hand. Instead, he looked down at her with pure disgust.

"You thought she was just a useless beggar, didn't you, Chloe?"

Arthur said, his voice cold and steady.

"This 'useless burden' is my mother, Evelyn. She built this entire vineyard with her own hands before dementia took her mind. She wandered away from her caregivers an hour ago. And you kicked her."

Chloe scrambled to her feet, mud dripping from her elbows and the hem of her ruined gown. "Arthur, I—I didn't know! I thought she was a trespasser! She was ruining the wedding!" she stammered, tears of humiliation finally spilling over her muddy cheeks. She looked at Julian, pleading for support. "Julian, tell your father! It was an accident!"

But Julian wouldn't even look at her. He was busy wrapping his own designer suit jacket around his grandmother's shivering shoulders.

Arthur stepped closer, his presence towering and suffocating.

"There is not going to be a wedding today, Chloe. And there will never be one. You showed us exactly who you are when you thought no one important was watching."

"You can't do this!" Chloe cried, panic rising in her chest. "We signed the marriage license this morning! We are legally married!"

Arthur smiled, a cold, humorless curve of his lips.

"The license is signed, yes. But you seem to have forgotten the clause in the prenuptial agreement you so eagerly signed last week."