Chapter 5 - The Spineless Husband
The grand ballroom was almost empty.
Only a few scattered rose petals and spilled champagne remained.
My father stood by my side, a protective shield.
Dominic was the only one of his family left.
He looked like a man waking up from a coma.
He walked toward me, his hands outstretched pleadingly.
"Vivienne... baby..."
"I am so sorry."
"I had no idea Chloe planned this."
"If I had known, I would have stopped it."
I looked at the man I had loved for three years.
The man I was about to have a child with.
"You didn't know she planned it," I said, my voice steady.
"But you saw her rip my dress."
"You saw your mother humiliate me."
"And you told me to just let them search me."
Dominic winced.
"I panicked! I hate confrontation, you know that!"
"I just wanted to keep the peace!"
"We can fix this, Viv."
"Now that I know who your family is... things will be different!"
"We can have the life we always wanted!"
I felt a wave of nausea.
Not from the pregnancy.
From him.
"Things will be different because you know I'm rich?" I asked.
"Not because your family abused me?"
"Not because they nearly assaulted your pregnant wife?"
Dominic stammered, realizing his mistake.
"No! That's not what I meant!"
"Please, Vivienne. For the baby."
I reached for my left hand.
The modest gold band Dominic had given me felt heavy.
I slid it off my finger.
I didn't throw it.
I simply placed it on the nearest cocktail table.
"There is no 'we' anymore, Dominic."
"You didn't protect me when I was just a nobody."
"You don't get to stand by me now that I'm somebody."
"My lawyers will contact you tomorrow."
"Do not call my phone."
"Do not come near me."
I turned away from him.
"Dad. Take me home."
My father wrapped his arm around my shoulders.
We walked toward the exit, escorted by security.
Behind me, Dominic fell to his knees in the empty ballroom.
His sister's ruined wedding was bad.
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But realizing he had just thrown away a billionaire heiress?
That was a tragedy he would never recover from.
