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<\/p>\n\u201cDon\u2019t make a scene, Wendy. This estate will be Gregory\u2019s before the week is out.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
That was the biting sentence ringing through the air when she pushed open the heavy mahogany back door of her own residence in the hills of Oakhill.<\/p>\n
She had arrived home two days ahead of schedule, cutting her trip to the northern coast short because she desperately wanted to surprise Gregory with a quiet evening and a bottle of vintage wine she had picked up for their anniversary.<\/p>\n
As she stepped onto the flagstone path leading to the gardens, she felt the blood drain from her face and stopped dead in her tracks.<\/p>\n
The garden was illuminated with dozens of fairy lights and glowing lanterns, looking like a scene straight out of a high-end magazine wedding feature.<\/p>\n
White candles were scattered across the lawn, while round tables draped in fine linen and crystal stemware stood waiting for guests who had already begun to mingle under the giant oak tree.<\/p>\n
A small group of string musicians was quietly tuning their instruments near the garden arch, an arch beautifully decorated with the very same ivory garden roses she had personally selected for their anniversary celebration.<\/p>\n
Gregory stood right under that arch, looking sharper than she had seen him in months, wearing a tailored navy suit that caught the warm light of the evening.<\/p>\n
He was holding hands with Isabella, her closest friend, the woman she had trusted with every secret and every tear she had shed over the past year.<\/p>\n
Isabella was wearing a stunning white satin gown that clung to her figure, and she had a delicate lace veil pinned into her hair that caught the moonlight.<\/p>\n
As the woman turned her head slightly, Wendy caught the unmistakable shimmer of her own mother\u2019s pearl earrings, the ones Isabella had borrowed months ago under the guise of wearing them to a high-profile industry gala.<\/p>\n
For a long, agonizing moment, the only sound in the entire garden was the faint rustle of the leaves as no one seemed to draw a breath.<\/p>\n
Then, Gregory\u2019s mother, a woman who had never truly warmed up to Wendy, slowly lowered her champagne flute and offered a thin, cold smile.<\/p>\n
\u201cWendy,\u201d Gregory said, his voice dropping into a tone of chilling, venomous calm. \u201cYou were not scheduled to return until Sunday morning.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wendy felt the leather strap of her suitcase slip from her numb fingers, the bag thumping heavily against the patio stones with a sound that seemed to echo through the entire property.<\/p>\n
Gregory\u2019s face went ash white as he realized the implication of her sudden presence, but Isabella didn\u2019t look bothered in the slightest.<\/p>\n
Isabella squeezed Gregory\u2019s hand tighter and turned her gaze toward Wendy with that sickeningly sweet, pitying smile she had worn so many times before.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is the meaning of all this?\u201d Wendy asked, her voice trembling slightly but retaining a sharp edge of demand.<\/p>\n
Gregory swallowed hard, his eyes darting toward the guests who were now beginning to whisper among themselves.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should go inside and discuss this properly, away from everyone,\u201d Gregory said, his voice pleading and frantic.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d Isabella cut in firmly, her chin tilted up as if she were the one who owned the land they were standing on. \u201cThere is no point in hiding what we have been planning anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
The guests continued to murmur, and Wendy realized with a jolt of horror that the crowd was composed entirely of Gregory\u2019s extended family, his father\u2019s business partners, and acquaintances who had always treated her as a convenient, invisible background character.<\/p>\n
She was the one who paid the bills, managed the estate, handled the crises, and signed the legal documents, yet she was never deemed important enough to be included in the family portraits.<\/p>\n
Isabella took a step forward, her eyes locked onto Wendy with a defiant glare.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is just Gregory and me finally choosing to be happy together,\u201d Isabella announced loudly, ensuring the entire group heard her.<\/p>\n
Wendy felt her throat tighten, not just because of the stinging pain of the betrayal, but because of the sheer scope of the audacity.<\/p>\n
She looked around the garden and realized with terrifying clarity that the banquet being served on their terrace was paid for with the funds from her own personal business account.<\/p>\n
The florist had billed her directly, the sound system was synced to her personal home network, and the three-tiered cake sitting on the marble table had the initials G and I piped onto it in intricate gold leaf.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t enough that they were having an affair behind her back, but they had also essentially forced her to fund their wedding celebration while she was away.<\/p>\n
Then, her eyes landed on a side table tucked away near the arch where the ceremony was supposed to happen.<\/p>\n
There was a thick beige folder sitting there, accompanied by a gold fountain pen and several legal documents organized with colorful dividers.<\/p>\n
The label on the top page was written in bold, professional lettering: Assignment of Property Rights.<\/p>\n
Isabella followed her gaze and let out a short, dismissive laugh that felt like a slap to Wendy\u2019s face.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were going to explain the paperwork to you after we returned from our honeymoon, honestly,\u201d Isabella said, waving her hand dismissively. \u201cGregory said you might be dramatic about it at first, but deep down you would eventually understand that it is for the best.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gregory\u2019s father stepped forward then, straightening his expensive gray suit and wearing the smug expression of a man who believed he could buy or steal anything he desired.<\/p>\n
\u201cWendy, do not complicate things by making a spectacle of yourself here,\u201d the older man said, his tone condescending. \u201cGregory has invested years of his life into this family and this business.\u201d<\/p>\n
He gestured vaguely at the house and the grounds, his voice dripping with entitlement.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have no children and no one to leave this legacy to, so the only logical thing is for this estate to pass into the hands of someone who actually knows how to manage a property of this size.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wendy stared directly into his eyes, refusing to blink or look away, her heart beginning to harden into something cold and solid.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis house belonged to my grandmother, and it stayed in my family for three generations,\u201d she said, her voice steady now.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was her house,\u201d Gregory\u2019s mother interjected with a sneer. \u201cBut things change, and it is time for you to let go of the past.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gregory finally found his voice again, though he looked more irritated than sorry.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease, Wendy, just stop this,\u201d he muttered, reaching for her arm. \u201cDo not humiliate yourself in front of all these people.\u201d<\/p>\n
The comment hit her like a physical blow, but Wendy didn\u2019t let the tears rise; she had spent too many nights crying in silence while Gregory was off with Isabella.<\/p>\n
She had spent too many hours waiting by a phone that never rang while being fed lies about late-night board meetings, and she was done with the fog of manipulation.<\/p>\n
Everything was finally clear, and for the first time in years, she felt perfectly calm.<\/p>\n
Wendy reached into her coat pocket and pulled out her cell phone, the screen glowing brightly in the dim garden light.<\/p>\n
Gregory frowned, his confidence wavering as he saw the focused expression on her face.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho are you planning to call?\u201d he demanded, his voice rising in volume.<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t answer him, simply unlocking the screen and tapping a command on her device.<\/p>\n
\u201cPerfect,\u201d she whispered to herself.<\/p>\n
Isabella narrowed her eyes, stepping closer to Gregory as if she suddenly felt a chill in the air.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is perfect, Wendy?\u201d Isabella asked, her voice losing its previous confidence.<\/p>\n
Wendy took a slow, deliberate look around the garden, taking in every candle, every guest, the expensive dress, the borrowed pearls, and the folder full of forged intentions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think none of you realize exactly what I accomplished before I stepped through that gate tonight,\u201d Wendy said, her voice carrying across the silent terrace.<\/p>\n
Gregory took a threatening step toward her, his face flushing with rage.<\/p>\n
\u201cGive me the phone right now, Wendy,\u201d he ordered.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t you ever try to touch me again,\u201d she snapped, and for the first time, Gregory actually froze.<\/p>\n
Gregory\u2019s father signaled to two large, imposing security guards standing near the back gate.<\/p>\n
\u201cRemove her from the premises immediately,\u201d he commanded. \u201cThis meeting is private and we will not have her disrupting it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wendy offered a small, chilling smile that didn\u2019t reach her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is my house, and you are all trespassing on property you have no claim to,\u201d she countered.<\/p>\n
Behind her, beyond the iron gates, the sound of multiple heavy vehicle engines and the crunch of tires on gravel filled the air.<\/p>\n
The chatter among the guests died instantly, replaced by a tense, heavy silence.<\/p>\n
Gregory spun around to see what was happening, his face pale with sudden apprehension.<\/p>\n
Isabella clutched her dress, her earlier poise completely shattered.<\/p>\n
Three black SUVs pulled up right in front of the main entrance, their headlights cutting through the darkness of the garden, just as Wendy tapped her phone one final time and said, \u201cThey arrived exactly when I needed them to.\u201d<\/p>\n