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Chapter_91
All That Glitters Is Not Gold
When Grace arrived to drop off Ava, she came bearing a mountain of groceries—wine, fresh seafood, and an assortment of other items. She clearly put a lot of thought into it, but I couldn’t find myself feeling particularly grateful. After all, the money she had spent wasn’t hers; it was mine. I had built Tanum Corporation from the ground up, pulling in eighty percent of its customers during the early days, and now, it was hard to be impressed by gestures that felt more like obligations than acts of kindness.
Ava rushed into the room, eager to cheer me up. She told me how much she missed her grandmother, and I could see she was trying to brighten my mood. But even her warm efforts couldn’t shake the cold reality of what was happening around me.
My mother-in-law was busy elsewhere, and Henry had been in and out of the house since the afternoon. My feelings toward him hadn’t improved much since that fateful day. Matthew had returned from work earlier than usual, and surprisingly, Melanie was nowhere in sight.
At the dinner table, Matthew smiled and announced that our anniversary banquet would be held on Friday at the Feusaka Hotel. I didn’t respond; I simply let the conversation flow around me, barely participating.
He turned to me, his tone a little too sweet, “Honey, I’ve done what you asked. Everything that’s rightfully yours has been transferred. I was foolish before, but I’ve reflected a lot these past few days. I still love you and our family. You were right. We need to secure a good future for Ava. From now on, we’ll work together to make Tanum Corporation bigger and stronger.”
I sighed as I looked at him, resisting the urge to remind him of how, just that morning, he’d been planning to deal with me, but now he was pledging his commitment. The change in him was almost laughable—almost too perfect.
On Thursday, Matthew proudly showed me all the assets in their new names—houses, cars, and a significant sum of money in various bank accounts. He had them notarized for my peace of mind, but I knew it was more for his own reassurance than for mine. There was no room for sentimentality in this game.
Matthew suggested inviting my parents to the banquet, but I declined. My father’s health had been fragile lately, and I didn’t want to risk putting him under any more stress.
Melanie was as unpredictable as ever. To my surprise, she had become unusually cooperative and had even changed her demeanor. She dressed elegantly and mingled gracefully with the guests. It was as if she had completely shifted her approach. Matthew, on the other hand, had ordered an expensive wedding dress to match the theme of the night—something that would make me appear ethereal and stunning. The hairstylist worked tirelessly, making sure my scar was covered, all while enhancing my appearance.
Matthew looked sharp in a black suit, white shirt, and rose-red tie. He beamed with happiness, radiating confidence. Ava, wearing a cute puffy dress, looked as beautiful as ever, squealing with delight at the attention. The event was filled with rich, powerful people—exactly the kind of people Matthew wanted around.
He played his part well, coming across as dignified, friendly, and the perfect husband—everything he believed would impress the crowd. It was hard not to find it all a little ironic. This celebration, though grand, felt more like a circus. Still, I went along with it. I even shared a few words about how we had weathered storms together since the founding of Tanum Corporation. I revealed parts of our history that Matthew dreaded, but, to my surprise, it touched the hearts of everyone there. A few guests even wiped tears from their eyes.
At the end of the evening, Matthew stood before the crowd and thanked me for everything I had done for the family and the company. His voice was filled with emotion as he said I was his source of joy. Then, in front of everyone, he got down on one knee and placed a diamond ring on my finger. The gesture was grand and lavish, and as he presented me with an opulent house and car, it felt like the culmination of a fairy tale.
The women in the audience looked on, their eyes full of envy. But I caught Melanie’s gaze from across the room—her eyes full of resentment, her face twisted in a glare aimed straight at me. The scene—Matthew holding me while cradling Ava—was like something out of a fairy tale, but few knew the dark secrets hiding just beneath the surface.
Matthew’s performance had reached its peak, but the night was far from over. There was a shocking turn of events waiting to unfold, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that things were about to spiral in a way no one could have predicted.