Chapter 18
Freya’s voice rang out loud and clear, and every single person on stage heard her words. The crowd fell into stunned silence, the atmosphere thick with anticipation. Brayden’s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Christina, her innocent face now exposed. The shock was evident in his expression, and it felt as if the ground beneath his feet was crumbling away.
Christina’s heart dropped, a cold wave of betrayal crashing over her. Her best friend, someone she had trusted for years, had just publicly exposed her secret without a second thought for her reputation. Best friend forever, my ass… She could feel the weight of every eye in the room now, each one filled with judgment and confusion.
“Christina, is Freya telling the truth?” Brayden asked, his voice shaking with disbelief. He needed to hear it from her. Is this really who you are?
Christina remained silent, her throat tight, her thoughts in turmoil. What could she say? The truth was, it was indeed part of the story, but not the whole story. She could see it in Brayden’s eyes—his faith in her shattering. I don’t deserve his trust anyway, she thought bitterly, the weight of her own guilt pressing down on her chest.
The silence stretched, suffocating her. Brayden’s disappointment was clear, and with it, his judgment of her—the girl who deceives with innocence. His expression faltered, and Christina felt like a stranger to him. This was the end. I’ve failed. I’ve lost him.
Before she could gather the strength to speak, Nathaniel’s calm voice broke through the tension.
“I’m Christina’s husband,” Nathaniel said, his words cutting through the murmur of the crowd. He stepped forward, his body language protective, and gently pulled Christina behind him as though she were something delicate and precious that needed shielding from the world.
Brayden froze, his eyes widening in disbelief. Freya’s expression mirrored Brayden’s, her mouth hanging open in shock.
“Impossible,” Freya sneered after a beat, her voice dripping with disdain. “Christina married some old, ugly man from the Hadley family for money. How could he be her husband?”
Even in the dim lighting, Nathaniel’s presence was undeniable. His chiseled features, the elegance of his every move, and the aura of command that surrounded him left everyone in awe. He was impossibly handsome—his beauty surpassed Brayden’s by miles, and the confident coldness that radiated from him made it clear he was not a man to be crossed.
He was everything Christina had hoped for and more, yet she felt the irony sting her heart—this man, her husband, was now being used to show just how far her life had spiraled.
Before the shock could settle, the music in the bar abruptly stopped. The manager, Felix Wilson, rushed onto the stage, his face pale and frantic as he approached Nathaniel.
“Mr. Hadley, you’re here! What happened?” Felix’s voice was laced with panic. Everyone watched in stunned silence as Felix, who had always acted like the boss of the bar, now seemed utterly subjugated to Nathaniel’s presence.
Christina looked at him in confusion. Felix… She had always thought he was the owner of the bar, but now it seemed she was wrong.
Nathaniel’s voice rang out coldly. “How dare you ask my wife to perform a dance on stage?”
Felix’s face went ashen. His knees nearly buckled beneath him. “I—I’m so sorry, Mr. Hadley! I didn’t know Christina was your wife! If I had known, I never would have asked her to do this!”
The sudden shift in power was too much to process. Christina’s world seemed to tilt, the entire bar in chaos. She blinked in confusion, realizing that she was the one who had been in the dark all along. This bar… She felt a mix of disbelief and confusion flooding her senses. Felix works for Nathaniel?
With a quick, sharp turn, Christina turned to Felix. “You addressed him as Mr. Hadley. What does that mean?”
Felix immediately straightened, his face now filled with deep respect. “Yes, Mrs. Hadley. This bar… It’s under Mr. Hadley’s name. He’s the true owner, not me.”
The room went silent as the realization sank in. The manager who had been acting as the bar’s owner was nothing more than a subordinate to Nathaniel. The truth was unveiled, and the atmosphere shifted to one of uncomfortable surprise.
Freya, unable to hide her disdain, sneered, her face contorting with jealousy. “So, you’ve been lying to me all along, Christina? This is who you really are? How could you pretend to be so pitiful when you have a husband like that?”
Christina’s heart seethed with anger, her frustration boiling over. Freya had used her, manipulated her, and now, in a moment of vindictive jealousy, she was turning the knife. Christina stepped forward, her eyes flashing with fury.
“Freya,” she began, her voice cold and steady, “were you the one who set me up that night?” The words left her lips with a sharp edge, the weight of her suspicion heavy in the air.
Freya froze. The look in Christina’s eyes, the way she had asked the question, made Freya uneasy. It was clear that Christina knew something—something about Freya’s role in her downfall. The room grew tense as everyone awaited Freya’s response.
Christina had never suspected Freya until now. The shocking revelation was as painful as it was disorienting. For years, she had trusted her, confided in her. And now… it was all falling apart.