The Marriage That Never Was

Synopsis

In the seventh year of my marriage, I was set to inherit the 26.6 billion fortune my grandmother left behind. Ethan Cole, the lawyer, sat across from me and slid a stack of documents over. "Ms. Grant, once you sign these, the Grant Hotel Group and all the real estate will officially be transferred to your name." I held the pen, but my mind was on Richard Lane. He said he was flying back tonight and would bring me a limited-edition watch. After seven years of dating and seven years of marriage, he still spoiled me as he always had. "Ms. Grant?" Ethan's voice held a note of hesitation. "There's something I need to confirm with you." I looked up. He pushed his glasses up, his expression complicated. "To process the inheritance, I need your marriage certificate, but..." "But what?" "I pulled the City Hall records." He turned his laptop toward me. "According to the records, your current legal status is unmarried." The screen showed a screenshot from the marriage registry. Name: Victoria Grant. Marital Status: Unmarried. I stared at those words for a long time, until my eyes began to sting. "That's impossible." My voice was calm, so calm it barely sounded like mine. "Richard and I got our marriage certificate seven years ago. He went to get it the day after our wedding. He said he felt bad that I hadn't slept the night before and didn't want me to make the trip." Ethan was silent for a few seconds before pulling up another record. "Mr. Lane did register a marriage seven years ago," he said. "But the spouse listed wasn't you. It was Sophie Lane." Sophie Lane, the Lane family chauffeur's daughter, the woman who always wore simple dresses, talked in a soft voice, and greeted me with perfect manners every time she saw me. "The marriage was registered on October 8, seven years ago." Ethan's voice sounded distant and unreal. "That was the day after your wedding to Mr. Lane."