Chapter 10 - The Wedding That Was Never a Wedding
Tessa did not tell Roman about the final line.
Not immediately.
She hated herself for that.
After everything she had demanded about honesty, she concealed the message for eleven minutes.
Then she walked back into Roman’s office.
“I need to show you something.”
He read it.
His jaw tightened.
“You were considering going alone.”
“Yes.”
“Thank you for telling me.”
She blinked.
No command.
No anger.
Just gratitude.
It made her decision easier.
“We make him believe I’m alone.”
At noon, Tessa entered the abandoned courthouse.
She wore the same ivory outfit from the engagement party.
No weapon.
No visible microphone.
DeLuca waited inside the old courtroom.
Eleanor sat behind him.
“Where’s Roman?”
“He chose his company.”
DeLuca smiled.
“No, he didn’t.”
Tessa shrugged.
“You don’t know him as well as you think.”
“I raised him after Vittorio died.”
“You advised him.”
“I shaped him.”
“That must hurt.”
“What?”
“He became better than you.”
DeLuca’s smile disappeared.
He placed the marriage contract on a table.
“You’re going to sign.”
“Roman isn’t here.”
“He will be.”
Tessa looked toward her mother.
Eleanor’s eyes moved briefly toward the balcony.
Someone was there.
DeLuca noticed.
He drew a gun.
“Roman!”
A shot exploded.
Glass shattered.
Roman dropped from the balcony stairs.
Agents stormed the side entrance.
DeLuca grabbed Eleanor.
Tessa moved toward him.
“Let her go.”
“You think this ends with me?”
“Yes.”
“You know nothing.”
“I know enough.”
“You know Roman loves you?”
Tessa’s expression remained steady.
“Yes.”
DeLuca laughed.
“Then you know exactly how to destroy him.”
He pushed Eleanor aside and aimed at Tessa.
Roman fired first.
DeLuca collapsed.
Alive.
Wounded.
Finished.
Federal agents arrested him.
Eleanor clung to Tessa.
Roman stood several feet away.
He waited until Tessa approached him.
“You okay?” she asked.
“No.”
She almost laughed.
“Me neither.”
He looked at the marriage contract on the floor.
“That thing gets burned.”
“No.”
Roman frowned.
“Evidence.”
Tessa smiled faintly.
“Accountant.”
“Of course.”
Outside, reporters surrounded the courthouse.
News of the collapsed Castell-Bishop engagement had already spread.
Chloe arrived holding Daniel’s hand.
Roman looked at her.
“Ready?”
Chloe smiled.
“For the scandal of the century?”
“For freedom.”
Together, Roman and Chloe announced that their engagement had ended by mutual agreement.
No feud.
No war.
No marriage.
The Bishop and Castell companies would continue legitimate commercial partnerships under independent oversight.
Tessa watched from behind the courthouse doors.
Roman did not mention her.
He protected her privacy without erasing her existence.
For the first time, he seemed to understand the difference.
Then Daniel approached Tessa.
“We found something in DeLuca’s files.”
“What?”
“A recording.”
“Of whom?”
“Vittorio Castell.”
Roman joined them.
Daniel handed him a drive.
“It was recorded the night before Vittorio died.”
Roman stared at it.
They played the file inside the courthouse.
Vittorio appeared onscreen.
Older.
Tired.
“If Roman ever sees this, then Anthony has betrayed us.”
Roman went still.
Vittorio continued.
“And if Tessa Hayes is standing beside him, there is something both of you must know about the agreement.”
The recording glitched.
Then Vittorio said:
“The marriage clause was never about ownership.”
Roman leaned closer.
May you like
“It was about—”
The screen went black.
