Chapter 6
The ballroom erupted in chaos. Voices overlapped like waves. The once celebratory air was now thick with disbelief. Cameras flashed as some guests discreetly recorded the scene, already itching to sell their footage to the media.
Alex stood frozen for moment, his chest heaving in anger with his fists clenched at his sides. Then his voice erupted,"You dare humiliate me in front of everyone -Isabelle how dare you!!".
But Isabelle's came,cold gaze cut through his fury. "I don't 'dare' Alex, I simply refuse to be a puppet dancing to your strings".
She already had enough of them. And this was only the beginning of her revenge.
The murmurs only grew louder
"What's happening ?"
"Did she really get married?"
"The CEO of Zhen corporation? Married? To her?" Another voice whispered.
The whispers spread like wildfire,each one a dagger driving into Alex's pride. His eyes wide staring at the marriage certificate.
"You..... forged this," Alex spat, though his voice shook -"you think anyone here will believe you? This..this is a sham".
Ruth slammed the table,fury twisting her beautiful features into something grotesque. Her voice screeched through the chaos, "you bitch! what trick is this supposed to be?"
Her words only stocked the fire in the room. The guests leaned closer, eager for more drama as their eyes darted between the sisters.
Isabelle's lips curved into a cold smile," I see you are no longer putting up your sweet facade, and 'tricks'? No Ruth,unlike you,I don't rely on cheap tricks and stolen men".
The crowd hissed. While someone muffled a gasp.Ruth's face turned crimson.
"You dare-?" Ruth lunged forward, but Isabelle's sharp gaze stopped her in her tracks." You betrayed me, Ruth", Isabelle said her voice low." You crawled into my fiance's bed, thinking I would never know. You schemed behind my back,all while smiling sweetly to my face. And tonight you would have stood here smug and victorious thinking you could take everything away from me!."
Her words rang clear in the stunned silence. Gasps then whisper's followed.
"Is that true?"
"Her own step sister!..?"
"How vile!"
Alex slammed his hands on a table,his composure crumbling."How did she find out" he thought frantically." Shut up,Isabelle! Don't you dare smear Ruth like this! You're just trying to cover your shame!".
Isabelle turned her gaze to him, cold as ice."shame? The only shame here, Alex is how blind I was to ever trust you. You never loved me. You only wanted my father's shares. I was a pawn, nothing more. Isn't that right?"
Alex flinched, his silence damning him than words ever could.
Ruth stepped forward,"she's lying. Alex and I would-"
"Enough!!"
The single word sliced through the hall like a whip. The crowd all turned to the owner of the voice. Tall,broad shouldered. His tailored black suit fit him like armour. His expression was unreadable cold as carved marble.
He had been watching everything unfold to see how his wife would handle the situation before finally deciding to step in.
Guests instinctively stepped back, clearing a path as he walked towards Isabelle with slow,measured strides.
When he reached her side,he didn't say a word at first. He simply placed a hand around her waist, just like in the photo, claiming her in front of the world. And then his voice rolled out deep, enchanting and commanding.
"There is no lie here. Isabelle is my wife.Our marriage is legal and registered. Question her and you question me."
The ballroom froze.
The words came with the weight of an empire. No one, no rival,no reporter dared to challenge. Because Kevin Zhen was not a man anyone challenged and got away unscathed.
Alex knees nearly buckled. His lips moved soundlessly before he managed to croak,
"y-you... Kevin...this can't.."
But Kevin's cold gaze cut through him dismissively,"you are nothing to me. And even less to her". He turned slightly,his eyes meeting Isabelle's for a moment, silently acknowledging their unspoken alliance. Then he faced the crowd again,his tone flat and deadly.
Remember this night." Isabelle Zhen is under my protection. Anyone who dares touch her...." His voice dropped lower"....will pay". The silence that followed was absolute while Isabelle looked at him in a daze.
Ruth stood trembling in anger,her lips parting in horror. Alex's face had gone pale,his pride crushed under the weight of humiliation.
And the guests finally realized they had just witnessed the fall of a family and the rise of a new alliance.
Isabelle raised her chin,her eyes sweeping across the hall,"you wanted a spectacle tonight,Ruth. Alex well here it is."
And with Kevin's hand firm at her waist she stepped down from the stage.
The whispers exploded again behind her but none of them mattered.
Because tonight, she had taken her first step into revenge. And the games had only just begun.