THE WEDDING NIGHT IN THE GLASS MANSION

Chapter 1: The Stained Wedding Dress

The lights of Seattle flickered through the floor-to-ceiling glass walls of the $20 million penthouse. Tonight was the wedding night of Julian and me. Julian—the “Prince” of real estate, a man coveted by thousands. I, Clara, an orphan who had seemingly struck gold by marrying into a dynasty, was still intoxicated by the lingering magic of the lavish ceremony held earlier that morning.

But as the heavy oak doors swung open, what greeted me wasn’t a warm embrace or a glass of celebratory champagne.

Julian walked in, his tie loosened, his face wearing an expression of terrifying coldness. Behind him followed a young woman in a skin-tight red dress, her lips painted a fiery scarlet. It was Elena—his private secretary, the one I had always suspected, but whom Julian insisted was “like a sister.“

“Julian? What is this?” I stood up abruptly, my heavy mermaid-style wedding dress nearly causing me to trip.

Julian didn’t look at me. He sat on the sofa, pulling Elena into his lap. “Clara, stop acting. You know exactly why I married you. This was a marriage to appease the board of directors and scrub my public image. Now that the ceremony is over, let’s be honest with each other.“

He smirked, a look of pure malice. “Elena said she wanted to see what it felt like to be the ‘lady of the house’ in this room. And I want you to watch. Consider this your first lesson on your true place in this home.“

Chapter 2: The Ultimate Humiliation

They began right there, in front of me. The sounds, the sights—they were like daggers thrust into my dignity. Julian forced me to sit on the chair opposite them, forbidding me to look away.

“Look, Clara,” he growled. “This is passion. This is love. And you? You’re just a cheap piece of decor I bought to deceive the world.“

Elena looked at me over Julian’s shoulder, her eyes gleaming with triumph and contempt. I sat there, my trembling hands clutching the lace of my wedding dress. No tears fell, but my chest tightened until I could barely breathe.

In that moment, I realized I hadn’t just been betrayed emotionally; I had been trampled upon as a human being. But amidst the excruciating pain, a cold current ran down my spine. I suddenly remembered the words of my late foster father—a seasoned lawyer—before I entered this marriage: “Clara, nothing in this world is free, especially the kindness of a wealthy man.”

Chapter 3: A Plan Formed in the Dark

When the act was over, Julian tossed a stack of documents at me. “Sign it. This is a post-nuptial agreement. You’ll receive a monthly allowance if you keep your mouth shut and accept Elena’s presence. If not, you’ll leave with nothing but a smear campaign of an affair I’ve already staged against you.“

I looked at the papers, then at Elena, who was nonchalantly getting dressed. I took a deep breath, wiping away a stray tear before it could dry.

“Fine,” I said, my voice eerily calm. “I’ll sign. But I need a drink. To celebrate… our new life together.“

Julian sneered. “Smart move.“

I walked toward the bar, my back turned to them. My hands no longer shook. I opened a bottle of expensive vintage wine Julian had prepared, but before pouring, I retrieved a tiny vial of colorless liquid from a hidden pocket in the layers of my dress.

I knew Julian was a control freak who monitored everything, including the in-house security cameras. What he didn’t know was that I had “updated” the smart home system a week ago with the help of a hacker friend.

Chapter 4: The Twist Ending

I brought out three glasses. Julian and Elena clinked theirs in excitement. They drained them.

Five minutes later, Julian began to stagger. “Clara… what did you put in…?“

Elena collapsed onto the floor, clutching her throat. I stood up, slowly unzipping the heavy wedding dress to reveal a sleek black outfit I had worn underneath.

“It’s not poison, Julian,” I smiled, looking down at the gasping man. “Just a compound that causes temporary muscle paralysis and short-term memory loss. But more importantly…“

I picked up my phone and opened a hidden app. “While the two of you were busy ‘having fun,‘ the entire scene was being livestreamed directly to the Board of Directors’ gala and all major partners currently at the Hilton. Oh, and I also attached the evidence of you embezzling $50 million to buy this penthouse under Elena’s name.“

Julian’s eyes bulged. He tried to speak, but only pathetic groans escaped his lips.

“You were right, Julian. This is a business marriage. And I just executed a hostile takeover.“

Chapter 5: The Price of Freedom

The sound of police sirens echoed from the street below. I had called them ten minutes earlier to report “domestic violence and the use of illegal substances.“

I walked to the window, looking out over Seattle. By tomorrow morning, Julian would lose everything: his reputation, his career, and his freedom. As for Elena? She would face charges of complicity and money laundering.

I picked up the post-nuptial agreement, tore it into pieces, and threw them over Julian’s paralyzed body.

“Happy wedding night, dear husband.“

I walked out of the penthouse, taking nothing but my phone, which held the keys to a private account where I had already diverted Julian’s offshore funds.

As it turns out, the real predator wasn’t the one sitting on the throne; it was the one who had the patience to wait in the shadows for the perfect strike. The wedding night was over, but my life was just beginning.