Chapter 7 - THE WRATH OF A RUINED BRIDE
Victoria Hale did not go quietly into the night.
By Tuesday, the tabloids and major news networks were saturated with a new, aggressive counter-narrative. Victoria’s father, a ruthless media mogul in his own right, unleashed a tidal wave of propaganda.
The story was spun with dizzying speed: The Bennett family was unstable. Walter Bennett was suffering from severe dementia and had been manipulated by a predatory, gold-digging maid. Victoria had merely been trying to splash water on the old man to snap him out of a violent hallucination.
They hired private investigators. They dug into Rosa’s past.
On Wednesday morning, Rosa walked out of her apartment building in Bridgeport to walk Mateo to school. The moment she stepped onto the sidewalk, a swarm of paparazzi descended upon them. Microphones were shoved into her face. Camera lenses clicked furiously.
“Rosa! Is it true you seduced Walter Bennett?”
“Are you the reason Nathaniel’s engagement ended?”
“What do you say to the allegations that you’re embezzling money from the trust?”
Rosa froze, instinctively pulling her seven-year-old son behind her. Mateo clung to her coat, terrified by the shouting strangers.
“Leave us alone!” Rosa shouted, trying to push through the crowd.
“Hey kid, does your dad know your mom is sleeping with a billionaire?” a particularly aggressive photographer sneered, shoving a camera perilously close to Mateo’s face.
Before Rosa could react, a massive, black SUV screeched to a halt at the curb. Four men in dark suits stepped out, moving with terrifying efficiency. They physically shoved the paparazzi back, creating a human barrier around Rosa and Mateo.
The back door of the SUV opened. Nathaniel Bennett stood there, wearing a dark overcoat and sunglasses.
“Get in,” he commanded.
Rosa didn't hesitate. She ushered Mateo into the warm leather interior of the vehicle and climbed in after him. The doors slammed shut, cutting off the flashes and the screaming reporters. The SUV pulled smoothly away from the curb.
Rosa sat in the back, breathing heavily, pulling Mateo onto her lap. “Thank you,” she whispered, her hands shaking.
Nathaniel took off his sunglasses. He looked exhausted, older than his thirty-five years, but there was a new clarity in his eyes. The arrogance of the corporate golden boy had been burned away, leaving something much more grounded.
“I’m the one who should be apologizing, Rosa,” Nathaniel said quietly. “My father told me this would happen. He said Victoria would try to destroy you to get to the trust. I came here to ensure you and Mateo have round-the-clock security. They will take Mateo to school, and they will stay at your apartment.”
Rosa looked at the billionaire sitting across from her. “Why are you doing this? You hate me. I took your inheritance.”
Nathaniel offered a small, sad smile. “You didn't take it. My father protected it. And he protected me. It took me a few days of staring at the bottom of a whiskey glass to realize that. Victoria... she proved him right. She didn't hesitate. The moment the money was gone, so was she.”
He looked at Mateo, who was staring wide-eyed at the luxurious interior of the car. Nathaniel reached into his pocket and pulled out a pristine, plastic-encased baseball card. He handed it to the boy.
“Babe Ruth. 1933 Goudey,” Nathaniel said softly. “My dad told me you like the classics. He asked me to pick it up from his safe deposit box for you.”
Mateo gasped, his small hands taking the card as if it were a holy relic. “Wow... Mom, look!”
Rosa’s eyes filled with tears. She looked at Nathaniel, seeing the son of the man she respected so deeply. “Thank you, Mr. Bennett.”
“It’s Nathaniel,” he corrected gently. “And we need to go to the estate. My father has summoned the board of Bennett Industrial Supply, and the legal team from Hale Industries. Victoria and her father are threatening a hostile takeover based on my father’s supposed medical incompetence. We have a war to win today.”
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Rosa sat up straighter, her spine turning to steel. She smoothed her skirt, realizing she wasn't wearing her gray maid’s uniform today. She was wearing a simple, dark navy business suit she had bought years ago for court appearances during her divorce.
“Then let’s go win it,” she said.
