Chapter 18: The Reveal

Caroline's POV

“I accept the offer of 500 million dollars to refrain from marrying Anderson, hence, on my wedding day, I would disappear from the scene, to a far away country where no one can find me.”

I stopped mid-step, staring at the words. My thumb lingered over the send button, but every time I tried to press it, a tight knot of doubt twisted in my stomach, holding me back.

It had been almost a week since Anderson told me about the abortion that he’d ordered the doctor to do.

Anytime I thought about what he did, I felt this anger boil within me.

He’d taken something from me, something that was mine to decide, and he didn’t even flinch.

I hated him for it. Hated him so much I could feel it burning in my chest.

Disappearing on our wedding day wasn’t just an escape; it was revenge.

I wanted him to feel the sting of abandonment, to stand there in his perfect suit, surrounded by his perfect family, and realize he’d lost me for good.

So why couldn’t I send the damn message? My hand trembled, and I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to breathe.

A tiny voice whispered in the back of my mind: Maybe you are in love with him.

I scoffed, shoving it down. Love? No. This wasn’t love, it was hatred, a desperate need to break free from the prison he’d locked me in. But still, my finger wouldn’t move.

A sharp ache throbbed behind my eyes, and I pressed my palm to my forehead, trying to push it away.

The stress was eating at me, I needed a break from all this and this money might be my ticket.

My phone started ringing.

The screen lit up with the same mysterious number that had been texting me, the one promising me freedom for a price.

My heart slammed against my ribs. What if he was calling to back out?

I hesitated, my finger hovering over the end button.

I could ignore it, send the message first, lock in the deal before it slipped away. But curiosity or maybe desperation won out.

I swiped to answer, my voice barely a whisper. “Hello?”

“Caroline,” a man said, his voice sounded familiar, though I couldn’t place it.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. “Are you the one who’s been texting me?”

“Yes,” he replied, “but so far, you’ve refused to reply.”

I didn’t know what to say. My mind blanked off as I tried to pin down the voice.

“You deserve better, Caroline,” he went on. “Marrying Anderson is a trap, and you know it. There’s no difference between him and Wesley.”

I let out a shaky breath. He wasn’t wrong.

 Anderson’s betrayal cut deeper than anything Wesley had ever done.

“The last thing you want is to marry another Wesley,” he said, his tone softening.

I bit my lip, staying silent. I wanted to yell that I already knew that, that I was suffocating under the weight of it, but the words wouldn’t come.

“Why are you offering me this much money to stay away from Anderson?” I finally asked. “What’s in it for you? Or maybe you want me for yourself?”

He chuckled. “No, Caroline. I don’t want you for myself. I just want you to be happy.”

I frowned, my grip tightening on the phone. “Happy? You think throwing money at me will make me happy?”

“Perhaps the 500 million is too small,” he said calmly. “How about I increase it to 1 billion dollars?”

My breath caught, and the phone slipped an inch in my sweaty hand. I grabbed it tighter.

A billion dollars? It was so ridiculous I almost laughed. My pulse raced, hammering in my ears.

“Sir, I think you’re a scammer,” I said, the thought spilling out as it hit me. “You’re just playing with my head.”

“That’s understandable,” he replied, “How about we meet in person? I believe you’ll trust me when you see me. Somewhere private. I’ll text you the address.”

My mind spun. Meeting him could be a trap, or it could be the key to everything. “Okay,” I said, my voice trembling. “Send me the address.”

He hung up without another word, and I stood there, staring at the blank screen.

My heart pounded so hard I could feel it in my throat, a mix of fear and excitement swirling inside me.

Who was he? And why did he care so much about helping me?

But there was a catch. Anderson had me on a leash ever since the mess with Wesley.

He’d forbidden me from leaving the house alone, his paranoia worsening with every passing day.

 If I wanted to meet this man, I’d need an excuse, and Anderson wouldn’t let me go.

I took a deep breath and dialed his number, my hands shaking as I waited for him to pick up.

“Caroline,” he answered, his voice tense. “What is it?”

“I want to see my mother,” I said, forcing my tone to stay steady. “I haven’t seen her since you dragged me away, and I need to tell her about… about the abortion.”

There was a long pause, and I could picture him narrowing his eyes, calculating. “No,” he said at last. “It’s not safe for you to go anywhere."

“Please,” I pushed, my voice cracking despite my efforts. “She needs to know what happened. I need to see her and tell her."

He sighed, sharp and irritated. “Fine. I’ll drive you there myself.”

I gritted my teeth, swallowing the urge to snap at him.

If he came with me, I’d never get to the meeting. But I had no leverage left. “Okay,” I muttered.

I hung up and rushed to get ready, putting on a top and jeans.

My mind raced as I thought of a way to ditch Anderson once we got to my father’s house. Maybe I could sneak out, but that would be difficult.

I heard the sound of Anderson’s car pulling into the driveway.

I grabbed my bag and hurried downstairs, my pulse thumping in my ears.

Anderson stood by the door, and I brushed past him without a word, climbing into the passenger seat.

The drive was suffocating, I stared out the window throughout the journey, thinking of what to do, finding now, I texted the number, telling him ditching Anderson was almost impossible.

He texted back, "Don't worry, I'll handle Anderson."

When we pulled up to my father’s house, Anderson’s phone rang. He glanced at it, his jaw tightening. “I have to take this,” he said, stepping out of the car.

I watched him pace by the road, My fingers gripped the door handle, ready to run.

Then he turned back, his expression serious. “I’m sorry, Caroline,” he said, “There’s someone I urgently need to see. I’ll be back soon.”

I nodded, keeping my face blank as he got in the car and sped off.

Relief crashed over me, but it was temporary. My phone buzzed again:

“Anderson has been taken care of. Now come to the Chinese restaurant beside Anderson's apartment. I’ll be there waiting.”

I blinked, how did he pull Anderson away so effortlessly?

Whoever this man was, he had power, more than I’d realized.

My hands shook as I flagged down a cab, repeating the address from the text to the driver.

I stepped out of the cab, as soon as we got there and scanned the scene.

It was bigger than I’d expected, with wide transparent windows showing people inside.

I hesitated as I entered, searching around for the mysterious man, when someone called my name.

“Caroline.”

I turned, and my eyes widened in utter shock.

 I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

There, by the entrance, stood Mr. Alex, Anderson’s uncle. The one who told me he was looking forward to the wedding at Mrs Jones mansion.