Chapter 6 - Shadows of the Past
Waking up from anesthesia felt like clawing through miles of wet concrete. The dull, pounding throb in my reconstructed leg told me the surgeons had finished their work, but the pain in my chest was infinitely worse.
Sitting by the window was not Adam, but an older woman with silver hair pulled into an elegant chignon. It was Clara Montgomery, Adam’s formidable grandmother and the undisputed matriarch of the Montgomery family.
"You're awake," Clara said softly, her aristocratic voice laced with steel. "Good. The doctors say the surgery was successful, but you will need intense physical therapy for at least six months."
"Mrs. Montgomery... I'm so sorry about the wedding," I stammered, trying to sit up.
"Hush, child," she commanded gently, walking over to tuck the blanket around me. "Adam told me everything. He showed me the messages on that vile girl's phone. To think my grandson nearly bound our family name to such a depraved, venomous serpent."
Clara took a sip from her tea before continuing. "Your mother arrived at my estate early this morning, Mara. She attempted to blackmail us. She claimed that unless the Montgomery family paid for Vanessa’s ruined gown, issued a public statement condemning you for attempting to 'ruin an sacred ceremony,' and finalized Adam's marriage contract, she would leak fabricated stories to the tabloids about Adam assaulting Vanessa at the altar."
"She did what?" I gasped.
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"Evelyn underestimates the Montgomery reach," Clara said with a cold, terrifying smile. "We do not yield to cheap extortion. But more importantly, my private security team spent the night reviewing the country club's surveillance feeds."
She pulled an iPad from her designer handbag and tapped the screen.
