Chapter 6 - The Parents' Hollow Apology

Within thirty minutes, the two hundred wedding guests had cleared out of The Grand Monarch in disgust. Caterers began silently dismantling the floral arches and packing away untouched plates of lobster and prime rib.
Preston was led out through the side entrance in steel handcuffs, his head held low as media photographers—tipped off by fleeing guests—snapped blinding flashes of the disgraced groom entering the back of a police cruiser.
In the quiet, echoing ballroom, only my parents remained, sitting at an abandoned table surrounded by empty glasses.
Arthur Vance slowly stood up, leaning heavily against the table as if he had aged twenty years in an hour. He walked over to where Sophie and I were gathering her coloring pencils and sweater.
“Clara...” Arthur began, his voice raspy and devoid of its usual booming arrogance. “I... your mother and I... we didn't know. Preston deceived us. He told us you were trying to sabotage his merger.”
Victoria hurried over, wiping her smudged eyeliner with a lace handkerchief, reaching out a trembling hand toward Sophie. “Sophie, darling... Grandma is so sorry. We were just confused by the commotion. Come give Grandma a hug...”
Sophie took a step back, hiding behind my legs and clutching my skirt.
“No,” Sophie whispered firmly, looking up at Victoria with the honest clarity of an eight-year-old. “You looked at me like I was bad. You didn't even ask me what happened. Only Mommy believed me.”
Victoria flinched as if struck by a physical blow, her hand falling limply to her side.
I looked at my parents—the two people who had spent thirty years elevating Preston while treating me as an expendable workhorse.
“You didn't believe Sophie because you never wanted to believe me,” I said, my voice steady, calm, and unbreakable. “For six years, I managed the logistics operations, balanced the books, and saved this company from bankruptcy while you gave Preston all the credit, the executive bonuses, and the luxury sports cars. You were willing to throw an eight-year-old child to the police just to protect his golden image.”
“Clara, we are family!” Arthur pleaded, tears glistening in his tired eyes. “Vance Enterprises will collapse without you! The board meets tomorrow morning. Please... come back and take the helm.”
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“I will be at the board meeting tomorrow, Arthur,” I answered coldly, zipping up Sophie’s coat. “Not to save your reputation, but to clean out the rot you allowed to fester.”
I took Sophie’s small hand in mine. Together, we walked down the grand marble hallway, leaving my weeping parents alone in the empty, silent ballroom.