The Hidden Heiress Revenge – Betrayal Love and Justice
By Lea von Löwenstein
Chapter 2: The Wedding shifted
Part 1: Sacred Disruption
St. Patrick’s Cathedral hummed with Manhattan’s elite at 1:55 PM. Marcus Thorne stood at the altar, preening in his designer suit while Olivia Ashworth waited in the vestibule, clutching a bouquet that had been chosen for another bride.
Father Michael O’Connor was just about to begin when his phone buzzed. The priest’s eyes widened as he read the message, his face shifting from confusion to stern authority.
“I’m afraid,” his voice carried clearly through the sacred space, “this ceremony cannot proceed.”
Marcus froze. “What?”
“Mr. Thorne, Miss Ashworth, I’ve received direct instructions from the Archbishop himself. You are to vacate the premises immediately.”
Olivia stormed forward, her stolen Vera Wang rustling. “This is ridiculous! Daddy’s donation—”
“Cannot override canonical law,” Father O’Connor cut in smoothly, showing his phone. “However, I am authorized to perform a different ceremony. Mr. Winchester? Miss Zhang?”
Sebastian and Sophia emerged from the side chapel, her Chanel mysteriously transformed into a stunning Alexander McQueen wedding gown – courtesy of Amelia Winchester’s connections.
“This is MY wedding!” Marcus’s face turned an interesting shade of purple. “You can’t just—”
“Security,” Father O’Connor called calmly, “please escort Mr. Thorne and Miss Ashworth out.”
“Do you know who I am?” Olivia shrieked as two cathedral guards appeared. “My father—”
“Is not the Archbishop,” Father O’Connor finished pleasantly. “Good day.”
As Marcus and Olivia were unceremoniously escorted out, their protests echoing off ancient stones, Sebastian offered Sophia his arm. His jade cufflinks – a last-minute gift from his sister Amelia – caught the cathedral light.
“Ready to scandalize all of Manhattan society?” he murmured.
“Darling,” Sophia matched his aristocratic tone perfectly, “I was born ready.”
Grace Winchester, all of fifteen and brilliant, had somehow hacked the cathedral’s sound system. As Sophia walked down the aisle, it wasn’t the traditional wedding march that played, but a hauntingly beautiful piece composed by quantum algorithms.
“Is that…?” Sebastian whispered.
“Quantum-generated Bach?” Sophia smiled. “Your niece works fast.”
Father O’Connor’s eyes twinkled as they reached the altar. “Dearly beloved…”
The ceremony was brief but powerful. Sebastian’s hands were warm as they exchanged rings – his grandmother’s vintage Cartier pieces, delivered by a breathless Amelia just moments before.
“I do,” Sophia’s voice carried clear and strong, while outside, Marcus could be heard demanding to speak to the Archbishop.
“I do,” Sebastian replied, his eyes holding promises neither of them had planned on making.
As Father O’Connor pronounced them husband and wife, Sophia’s phone buzzed quietly. A message from Richard Lee: “servers accessed. Ready when you are.”
“Well, wife,” Sebastian murmured as they turned to face their stunned audience, “shall we go reshape the financial world?”
Part 2: Family Storms
The February afternoon painted Manhattan in watercolours as Sebastian helped Sophia into his Aston Martin, her transformed McQueen rustling against hand-stitched leather.
“So,” he guided the car through midtown traffic, “about living arrangements…”
“Worried about your Mayfair bachelor pad?” Sophia teased, still riding the adrenaline of their impromptu wedding.
“Actually,” his grip tightened slightly on the steering wheel, “my family estate in Upper East Side. Though I should warn you—”
“Your parents are there, waiting to arrange your marriage to Catherine Vanderbilt?”
Sebastian shot her an appreciative glance. “How did you—”
“The society pages mentioned the Vanderbilt-Winchester merger discussions. Though I suspect they meant corporate merger, not marriage.”
“Clever girl.” He turned onto Park Avenue. “Though it’s actually worse. They’ve moved on to the Cavendish family. Apparently, Elizabeth Cavendish comes with better Asian market connections.”
“Better than the Vanderbilts?” Sophia’s tone held careful amusement.
“Mother’s quite determined to— ah, wonderful.” Sebastian’s voice dripped aristocratic sarcasm as they pulled up to the Winchester mansion. Three Rolls Royces graced the circular drive. “The entire Cavendish clan is here.”
Lady Helena Winchester stood on the mansion steps, her Chanel suit radiating disapproval. Beside her, Lord Marcus Winchester’s face had gone an interesting shade of puce. And with them, the Cavendish family looked ready for war.
“Darling,” Sophia murmured as Sebastian helped her from the car, “I believe we’re about to have our first marital crisis.”
“Sebastian Arthur Winchester!” Lady Helena’s voice could have frozen champagne. “What have you done?”
The Winchester mansion’s marble foyer crackled with tension as Sebastian guided Sophia inside, his hand protective at the small of her back.
“Mother, Father,” he nodded coolly. “I see you’ve brought company.”
Elizabeth Cavendish, a willowy blonde in Valentino, stepped forward. “Sebby, darling, what is this… nonsense?”
“My wedding day, actually.” Sebastian’s aristocratic tone could have cut glass. “Though I don’t recall sending invitations.”
Lord Marcus Winchester’s face darkened further. “This is unacceptable. The Cavendish merger—”
“Marriage,” Lord Cavendish corrected sharply. “My daughter’s marriage.”
“Is no longer an option,” Sebastian finished smoothly. “As I’m already married.”
Lady Helena’s laugh held no humor. “Married? To this… this…”
“Social butterfly?” Sophia supplied helpfully, channeling her public persona perfectly. “Party girl? Instagram influencer?”
“Gold digger,” Elizabeth spat, making Sebastian stiffen.
“I want this marriage annulled,” Lord Winchester declared. “Immediately.”
“Oh?” Sophia’s smile held secrets. “And how exactly do you plan to force that?”
Lord Cavendish stepped forward, his banking authority radiating. “Winchester Finance’s board meets tomorrow. Without the Cavendish merger, your position as CEO—”
“Will be quite secure,” Sophia cut in softly, pulling out her phone. “Though I wonder… how secure is Cavendish Global’s position?”
Her fingers danced across the encrypted screen. Suddenly, every phone in the room began buzzing frantically.
“What… what’s happening?” Elizabeth’s face went pale as she checked her device.
“Darling,” Sebastian murmured to his new wife, watching the chaos unfold, “what exactly did you just do?”
Sophia’s smile was pure venom as the Cavendish family’s phones continued their desperate symphony. “Would you believe me if I told you?”
Part 3: The Dragon’s Revelation
The Winchester mansion’s marble foyer had become a battlefield of old money versus new defiance. Sophia stood in her McQueen wedding gown, surrounded by Manhattan’s elite trying to tear her down.
“I am Sophia Zhang,” she stated calmly, “heir to Zhang Global Finance.”
The laughter that followed was both immediate and cruel.
“Darling,” Lady Helena’s voice dripped condescension, “Lawrence Zhang’s daughter is a vapid party girl who can barely manage her Instagram account.”
“Though she does that quite well,” Elizabeth Cavendish added with a sneer. “I particularly enjoyed your last post about… what was it? Choosing the right champagne for brunch?”
Sebastian, despite his disbelief in her claimed identity, moved protectively closer. “That’s enough.”
“No, Sebastian,” Lord Cavendish thundered, “it’s not nearly enough. This fortune hunter has destroyed—”
“My wife,” Sebastian’s voice carried the weight of centuries of aristocratic authority, “will be treated with respect in my home.”
While they argued, Sophia quietly typed on her phone:
To: Sarah Chen
“Send 2 Billion Dollar offer to Winchester inance. Immediate transfer. One condition: Sebastian Winchester remains CEO. Authorization code: Dragon’s Daughter.”
“Look at her,” Elizabeth spat. “Probably ordering another designer handbag while she ruins everything.”
Lord Winchester stepped forward menacingly. “You’ll sign annulment papers tonight.”
“She will not,” Sebastian’s tone could have frozen hell itself. “And anyone who threatens my wife can leave. Now.”
Sophia’s phone buzzed.
From: Sarah Chen
“Transfer authorized. Richard Lee confirms. Your father sends his regards… and congratulations.”
The tension in the Winchester mansion crystallized as every phone in the room suddenly exploded with notifications. The Bloomberg alert came first, followed by Reuters, then the Wall Street Journal.
“BREAKING: Zhang Global Finance offers unprecedented $2 billion direct investment in Winchester Finance.”
Lord Winchester’s face went from puce to ash. “What… what is this?”
“TERMS: Investment contingent on Sebastian Winchester remaining CEO.”
Elizabeth Cavendish’s Valentino rustled as she stumbled backwards. “This can’t be…”
“Oh, but it can,” Sophia’s voice carried the same soft authority she’d used in the morning’s board meeting. “Though I believe the quantum trading algorithms I just authorized might interest you more.”
Sebastian stared at his new wife, pieces clicking into place. “The derivatives calculations… that was you?”
“BREAKING: Winchester Finance shares surge 40% on revolutionary quantum trading platform integration.”
Lady Helena’s Chanel suit suddenly seemed to weigh her down. “But… you’re just a social butterfly…”
“A butterfly who wrote the algorithms your son’s company now uses,” Sophia smiled, checking her vintage Cartier. “Oh, look – Asian markets are opening. Shall we see what happens when Zhang Global’s servers sync with Winchester’s?”
Lord Cavendish lunged forward. “This marriage is a sham! She’s manipulating—”
“My wife,” Sebastian cut in, his arm sliding around Sophia’s waist, “appears to be rather brilliant at manipulation. Among other things.”
Their phones buzzed again.
From: Richard Lee
“Sync complete. Your father suggests the Winchester family check their portfolio… now.”
