Chapter 2

I turned off my phone, grabbed the mic, and walked straight onto the stage.

"Sorry, everyone. The celebration goes on, but we're having a new bride tonight," I announced.

Then I signaled my assistant to put that social media screenshot up on the big screen.

The guests erupted in chatter.

I couldn't care less about their reactions.

"Since Professor Reed is so fond of his student, why don't those two tie the knot today? I'll happily hand over my place," I said.

Without a second glance, I gestured for my parents to come along and walked straight out of the wedding hall.

When I got home, I dragged myself into my room. There were still wedding photos of Charles and me hanging on the wall. I ripped them down and tore them to shreds.

My parents came over, their eyes full of concern.

"Olivia, what's going on with the trending topic? You and Charles..." my mother asked.

I told them everything that had happened today.

My mother looked at me with concern and pain, while my father's jaw clenched, anger written all over his face.

"Charles has gone way too far." My father slammed his palm down hard on the table, his voice trembling with fury.

My mother gently rubbed my back and comforted me, "Olivia, don't cry. You shouldn't shed tears for someone like him."

I struggled to keep myself together.

"Olivia, what are you planning to do next?" My father asked, worry etched all over his face.

I lifted my chin and said firmly, "I'm not about to let him walk away from this. He'll pay for what he did."

My father nodded. "Alright, whatever you want to do, we are behind you all the way."

Just then, my phone started vibrating on the glass coffee table. The screen lit up with an incoming call.

I picked up without even looking at the caller ID.

"Olivia, what's going on? Why did you cancel the wedding? You left all those guests hanging at the hotel." Charles's voice came through.

Before I could even get a word out, he started firing questions at me.

"Professor Reed, we're finished. From now on, you address me as Ms. Bennett," I said with a mocking chuckle.

"I just went there to pray and happened to bump into Emily. Can you stop being so paranoid?" Charles replied, totally at ease.

I actually found his words funny. "Paranoid? Who's the one hiding a secret? Is Prayer Hill some kind of hotel now? Who are you praying to? God or Emily?

"I said I'd let you two have each other, and I always keep my word. But don't think you're getting off easy. You'll pay for everything you've done."

Before Charles could say another word, I hung up on him.

I walked back into my room and paused for a moment. Then I called my assistant. "Eileen, I need you to take care of three things.

"First, make sure 'Charles Reed Dates His Student' hits the top of the trending list. No budget cap.

"Second, fire Charles and cancel all funding for him.

"Third, get all the evidence ready and hit him with a lawsuit."

Eileen hesitated on the other end. "Ms. Bennett, are you sure about this? Maybe we should double-check first. What if it's all just a misunderstanding?"

"Just follow my orders," I cut her off, my voice cold as ice. "I expect every result in front of me within an hour."

After hanging up, I fired up my laptop and clicked open a folder.

Inside were Charles's call logs and financial records from the past three years.

I'd meant to use these for the prenup after the wedding, but now they had a different use.

I paused when my cursor landed on a name.

It read, "Emily Brooks. Nineteen. Freshman at Shariport University."