Chapter 4

The wedding was set at The Peninsula, the city's most luxurious hotel.

Although it was publicly announced as a performance to fulfill Mrs. Gorman Senior's last wish, the scale of the event was even grander than my wedding to Abigail back in the day.

Almost all the prominent figures in the industry showed up. Whether they came out of curiosity or in hopes of seeing a spectacle, the place was packed.

I sat at the main table in an all-black suit. Dressed like this, I looked less like a wedding guest and more like someone attending a funeral.

The people around me regarded me with expressions full of amusement and whispered commentary.

"Hey, look, Nathaniel actually showed up."

"What a pathetic excuse for a husband. His wife's about to marry someone else, and he's just sitting there?"

"I heard it's supposedly a performance for Dominic's grandmother."

"A performance? You believe that? Look at that diamond ring and the scale of this event. It's even more lavish than theirs back then."

"Shh, keep your voice down."

I gently swirled the wine glass in my hand, ignoring the murmurs around me.

The wedding march began to play.

The doors opened, and Abigail walked slowly down the red carpet, arm-in-arm with Dominic. She looked stunning in her perfectly tailored white wedding gown.

Dominic, dressed in that mended million-dollar suit, had a blissful smile on his face.

As Abigail passed by me, she paused slightly and glanced at me with a somewhat complicated expression.

I raised my glass to her, a cold smirk tugging at my lips.

During the vows, the officiant asked Abigail, "Do you, Abigail Jefferson, take Dominic Gorman to be your lawfully wedded husband. To love him, to honor him, to cherish him, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

The entire venue fell silent.

Abigail gazed affectionately at Dominic and replied in a clear, resonant voice, "I do."

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience.

The officiant then turned to Dominic. "Do you, Dominic Gorman, take Abigail Jefferson to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

Dominic was so moved that tears filled his eyes and his voice trembled as he replied, "I do. And also…"

He paused and shyly lowered his head, one hand gently resting on Abigail's waist as he gazed tenderly at her lower abdomen.

"I have another piece of good news to share with everyone. Abigail's already pregnant with our baby. Today is truly a double celebration."

As soon as the words were spoken, the entire venue erupted in commotion.

"Oh my god, Abigail's really pregnant!"

"This isn't a performance at all. Rather, it's a power move!"

"Nathaniel must be utterly humiliated now."

All eyes instantly turned on me. They were waiting for me to charge up there like a madman and cause a scene.

Even Abigail looked somewhat flustered on stage. Clearly, Dominic hadn't discussed it with her before making this announcement publicly. She instinctively looked over at me.

I stood up and straightened my collar before calmly walking onto the stage. There, I took the microphone from the officiant and beamed at them.

"Congratulations, Ms. Jefferson, Mr. Gorman. Since it's a double celebration, as the original spouse, let me offer you a little gift to liven things up."

"Nathaniel, don't do anything rash," the pale-faced Abigail warned quietly. "Let's talk about this when we get home."

"Home? Which home?" I sneered at her mockingly. "You don't even own any of your properties anymore."

Abigail froze. "What do you mean?"

Instead of answering her, I simply raised my hand and snapped my fingers.

The massive LED screen behind me suddenly flickered, and their sweet wedding photos disappeared. In its place were pages upon pages of dense financial statements, bank transaction records, and scanned copies of asset transfer agreements.

The entire venue fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone was gawking at the screen, where bold red letters stood out starkly in the center.

"Abigail Jefferson's current total assets—zero dollars. Current liabilities—two billion dollars."