Chapter 3: The Laurent Family Secret
Chapter 3: The Laurent Family Secret
The words on the paper seemed to burn into Isabella’s mind.
“Trust no one wearing my name.”
She read it again.
Then again.
As if repeating the sentence would somehow change its meaning.
But it didn’t.
The message remained the same.
A warning from the man who had spent his entire life protecting her.
Her father.
Richard Laurent.
The man who had built an empire from nothing.
The man who had taught her that power was not about money.
It was about responsibility.
Yet now, his final message suggested something impossible.
Someone inside the Laurent family had betrayed her.
Isabella slowly lowered the paper.
Her fingers trembled.
“Who?”
Her voice was barely audible.
“Who was he talking about?”
Nobody answered.
The silence was worse than any accusation.
The guests who had once laughed and celebrated now stood like statues.
Because everyone understood the danger of the question.
The Laurent family was not just a wealthy family.
It was a dynasty.
A name that controlled companies, foundations, investments, and political influence across the country.
A family with enough power to change lives.
Including destroying them.
Isabella looked toward Elena.
“You know.”
It wasn’t a question.
It was a realization.
Elena did know.
She had known for years.
The woman in black looked at her carefully.
“I know what your father discovered.”
“Then tell me.”
“Not here.”
Isabella frowned.
“Why not?”
“Because whoever your father was afraid of is still watching.”
A cold feeling moved through the crowd.
Everyone looked around.
Suddenly every person seemed suspicious.
The businessman standing near the bar.
The executives near the stage.
The guests pretending not to listen.
Even the family members who had smiled for cameras earlier.
Isabella tightened her grip on the letter.
“You’re saying someone here is dangerous?”
Elena didn’t answer.
And that answer was enough.
Adrian laughed quietly.
Everyone turned toward him.
“You see?”
He shook his head.
“This is what Elena does.”
Isabella looked at him.
“What?”
“She creates fear.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“She walks into a room, reveals half a truth, hides the other half, and makes everyone desperate to follow her.”
Elena remained calm.
“You’re describing yourself.”
A few guests exchanged nervous looks.
Adrian smiled.
“You still think you’re untouchable.”
“No.”
Elena looked directly at him.
“I know exactly how vulnerable you are.”
Before Adrian could respond, a voice interrupted.
“Enough.”
Everyone turned.
Standing near the entrance was an older man.
Gray hair.
Perfect black suit.
A face that carried decades of authority.
Isabella’s uncle.
Victor Laurent.
The younger brother of Richard Laurent.
The man who had helped manage Laurent Holdings after Richard’s death.
The crowd immediately recognized him.
Victor walked slowly toward them.
“Tonight was supposed to be a celebration.”
His eyes moved toward Elena.
“But you turned it into a public execution.”
Elena looked at him.
“No.”
A pause.
“I stopped a crime before it happened.”
Victor’s expression hardened.
“You accuse people without evidence.”
Elena tilted her head.
“Interesting.”
“What?”
“You’re defending Adrian.”
Victor’s eyes narrowed.
“I’m defending my family’s reputation.”
“No.”
Elena stepped closer.
“You’re defending your investment.”
The room became silent.
Victor’s face changed.
Only for a moment.
But everyone noticed.
Isabella noticed.
Because she had known her uncle her entire life.
And she had never seen him look afraid.
Until now.
“What investment?” Isabella asked.
Nobody answered.
She looked at Victor.
“Uncle Victor?”
He avoided her eyes.
That was enough.
“Uncle…”
Her voice cracked.
“Did you know?”
Victor remained silent.
“Did you know Adrian was planning this?”
Still nothing.
The truth was becoming louder with every second.
Isabella looked devastated.
The people she trusted most.
Her fiancé.
Her best friend.
Her own family.
One by one, they were becoming strangers.
Elena watched her.
“I’m sorry.”
Isabella looked at her.
“Don’t apologize.”
Her eyes filled with anger.
“Tell me the truth.”
Elena nodded.
“Your father discovered that someone was moving money from Laurent Holdings.”
Victor immediately reacted.
“That’s absurd.”
Elena ignored him.
“Large amounts.”
She looked at Isabella.
“Hidden accounts. Fake companies. Unauthorized transfers.”
The guests began whispering.
Isabella looked at Victor.
“My father suspected someone in the family?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Elena remained quiet.
Then she looked at Victor.
And everyone understood.
The accusation had landed.
Victor’s face became cold.
“You have no proof.”
Elena reached into her bag.
She removed another document.
A small folder.
She handed it to the host.
The host placed it on the screen system.
The images appeared.
Bank records.
Company transfers.
Signatures.
And one name.
Victor Laurent.
The room exploded.
Guests shouted.
Cameras flashed.
Victor stepped back.
“No.”
His voice became louder.
“This is fabricated.”
Elena looked at him.
“Your brother spent six months investigating you.”
Victor froze.
“My brother?”
“Yes.”
She looked at Isabella.
“Your father didn’t know if he could trust his own brother.”
Isabella covered her mouth.
“No…”
Victor looked furious.
“You’re destroying this family.”
Elena’s expression changed.
“No.”
She looked at the entire room.
“The person who destroyed this family did that years ago.”
Victor stepped forward.
“You think you can walk in here and judge everyone?”
“No.”
Elena’s voice remained calm.
“I’m not judging.”
She looked at Isabella.
“I’m revealing.”
Suddenly, the main doors opened.
Everyone turned.
A woman entered.
The entire room went silent.
Because she was someone nobody expected.
Victoria Ashford.
The missing best friend.
The woman who had disappeared.
She walked slowly into the room.
But she wasn’t alone.
Beside her was a man carrying a briefcase.
Adrian’s expression changed instantly.
“What are you doing here?”
Victoria ignored him.
She looked at Isabella.
And tears filled her eyes.
“Isabella…”
The bride stared at her.
“How could you?”
Victoria looked down.
“I know what you think.”
“You betrayed me.”
“Yes.”
The answer was immediate.
No excuses.
No denial.
Just the truth.
Isabella’s eyes filled with pain.
“Why?”
Victoria looked toward Adrian.
“Because he threatened me.”
Adrian’s face changed.
“What?”
Victoria opened the briefcase.
Inside were documents.
Photos.
Recordings.
Evidence.
“I didn’t help him because I wanted your money.”
She looked at Isabella.
“I helped him because he knew something about my family.”
The room went silent.
“What did he know?” Isabella asked.
Victoria looked terrified.
Then she said the sentence that changed everything.
“Adrian knew who really caused your father’s death.”
Nobody moved.
The rooftop went completely silent.
Even Elena looked surprised.
Because this was something she did not know.
Victoria opened the folder.
Inside was a photograph.
An old photograph.
Taken years ago.
The image showed Richard Laurent.
Victor Laurent.
And one more person.
A person whose identity had been hidden for years.
Isabella stared at the photograph.
Because standing beside her father…
was someone who should have been impossible to find.
Someone everyone believed was dead.
Elena stepped closer.
“Who is that?”
Victoria whispered:
“Someone who has been controlling everything from the beginning.”
The lights suddenly flickered.
The screens went black.
And a new message appeared.
A single sentence.
"You should have left the past buried."
Everyone froze.
Because the message wasn’t from Adrian.
It wasn’t from Victor.
It wasn’t from anyone in the room.
It came from an unknown sender.
And whoever sent it...
May you like
was watching them.
End of Chapter 3
