Chapter 9 - The Brick Was Not Supposed to Miss
The surgeon removed the external bandage on day six.
My left eye was swollen nearly shut.
Purple.
Red.
Stitches beside temple.
A thin cut ran across cheekbone.
I looked.
Then looked away.
Ethan stood behind me.
Not touching.
“What do you see?”
I almost said:
Ruined.
Instead:
“Me.”
It was not brave.
Just factual.
Then vision.
Light.
Shapes.
Blurry movement.
Doctor said swelling needed weeks.
No guarantee.
I asked:
“Can I still get married in September?”
He looked surprised.
Medically?
Probably.
Emotionally?
Not his job.
Good.
Then prosecutor met me.
Assistant District Attorney Naomi Feld.
She explained charges carefully.
Richard faced aggravated assault and attempted murder related charges based on weapon, head strike, and planning evidence.
Catherine faced conspiracy and accomplice liability based on supplying brick, planning scar, and recorded statements.
Exact counts would be decided by grand jury or charging process.
Chloe was being investigated separately for harassment and attempted coercion, not direct assault unless new evidence.
Then:
“What do you want?”
I hated question.
“Truth.”
“Sentencing recommendation later.”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s fine.”
Then bail.
Richard’s attorney argued:
Sixty three.
No record.
Community ties.
Catherine too.
Prosecution argued planning, witness pressure, financial motive.
Judge ordered significant bail conditions and no contact if released; Richard remained detained initially due severity? Let's say held pending higher court review then later secured release on strict electronic monitoring? But for drama, maybe detained through trial. Better realistic? Attempted murder often high bail. We can keep both detained pretrial after finding dangerousness and interference risk.
Chloe remained free.
Then financial case.
Hudson Fiduciary Partners entered.
They had been named successor trustee years earlier but never notified that vesting trigger approached because Richard had concealed active amendment.
Claire provided certified copy.
Hudson froze any voting activity tied to my beneficial shares pending court confirmation.
Richard lost control before my wedding.
The very violence meant to delay transfer accelerated independent oversight.
Then board of Whitmore Masonry convened emergency meeting.
I did not attend.
Hudson did.
They suspended related party guarantees pending audit.
Hanover East lenders panicked.
But no company collapse.
Whitmore itself was healthy.
The $18 million guarantee exposure was serious but manageable if challenged.
Some guarantees may be unauthorized.
Litigation.
Then Ethan asked:
“Do you want me involved?”
“No.”
He nodded.
Not offended.
Good.
My family had made him center of a financial war he never joined.
He needed to become fiancé again, not rescue investor.
Then we discussed emails he hid.
“I should have told you.”
“Yes.”
“I thought I could handle it.”
“That’s what Dad says.”
He flinched.
Good.
“I’m not saying you’re him.”
“I know.”
“But do not protect me by deciding what I get to know.”
“I won’t.”
“Even if I’m scared.”
“Yes.”
“Even if wedding falls apart.”
“Yes.”
Then I asked:
“Do you still want to marry me?”
He stared.
“Emma.”
“Answer.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to before I knew you owned thirty eight percent of anything.”
I almost smiled.
Then:
“And because I still want to after your family tried to turn me into a prize.”
Good.
Then:
“Do you want to marry me in September?”
He paused.
“That depends on what you want.”
I hated.
“I asked you.”
He understood.
“Yes.”
Clear.
Then I answered:
“I don’t know.”
Also clear.
We postponed no decisions yet.
Then Chloe sent through attorney a document she found in her email archive.
From Catherine.
Subject:
September Contingencies.
Attached:
Three scenarios.
ONE: Ethan leaves Emma voluntarily.
TWO: Emma delays wedding due injury or instability.
THREE: Emma incapacitated.
Beside scenario three:
Seek emergency guardianship before Hudson takes possession.
They had planned around injury.
Even if trust barred them from financial guardianship, they intended to litigate.
The brick was supposed to create legal chaos.
And perhaps blindness.
Then another note:
Face damage increases likelihood of Scenario One.
My hands shook.
May you like
They had literally modeled whether Ethan would leave me if I looked different.
Continue to the next part: Catherine’s planning file reduces Emma’s face to a probability in a financial strategy, and Emma must decide whether keeping her original wedding date would be freedom or simply another reaction to her parents.
