Chapter 18
Gasps of shock rippled through the gathering. The collaborative projects between Sinclair and North Shore Industries were each worth billions in potential profits—and Dominic Reed was willing to surrender it all? Ariana felt her heart lurch. She knew Christopher was fundamentally a businessman; no one would refuse such a lucrative proposition. Yet, to her surprise, Christopher laughed coldly: “Not necessary.”
As if on cue, the Sinclair family members rose in unison. Elena walked directly to Ariana’s side, taking her hand: “Ariana is a Sinclair now, not a commodity for negotiation.” Ariana’s eyes grew hot with emotion, warmth spreading through her chest.
Dominic stared at them in disbelief before turning back to Ariana with a desperate plea: “Ari… please, come with me. I’ll make it up to you for the rest of my life.” Ariana closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them, only coldness remained: “No.” She turned to the officiant: “Please continue the ceremony.”
“No one moves!” he commanded sharply. The pain in Dominic’s eyes instantly transformed into something closer to madness. His assistant hurried forward, whispering urgently: “Sir, everything is in place outside.”
Ariana’s heart skipped a beat as she stared at Dominic: “What are you planning?” Dominic’s eyes burned with a dangerous red glint. His voice was low and menacing: “I’ve planted explosives throughout the building. If you refuse to leave with me, everyone here… dies together.”
The room fell into shocked silence. Ariana felt ice spreading through her veins: “Have you lost your mind?!” “Yes, I have,” he said, staring directly at her, enunciating each word. “If you marry someone else, I’ll lose my mind completely.”
“Dominic Reed!” Her voice trembled. “What do you want?!” “Come with me,” he continued to stare at her. “Give me one chance.”
“I refuse!” “Then we all die together.” Ariana felt pushed to the breaking point, her nails digging deeply into her palms. Just then, Christopher grasped her hand, his voice calm but firm: “Then we die together.” The Sinclair family spoke in unison: “We stand together.”
The guests, however, panicked, many falling to their knees in supplication. “Miss Reeves, please agree to his demands! This is your personal affair—don’t involve innocent bystanders!” “Yes, we’re just here for a wedding reception. How can we deserve such a fate?”
Ariana bit her lip, finally taking a deep breath: “Fine.” She looked at Dominic, her voice brittle: “I’ll give you one week. From now on, you must stop these insane actions.” Dominic’s eyes instantly lit with wild joy. “No problem.” Christopher tightened his grip on her hand.
Ariana looked at him, saying softly: “Do you trust me? Just one week, alright?” After a prolonged silence, Christopher respected her decision and released her hand. Elena pressed a small purse into Ariana’s hands, whispering: “Ariana, there’s something important inside. Look at it when you have time.”
Ariana nodded and followed Dominic out. Dominic eagerly attempted to usher her toward his private jet, but Ariana coldly stated: “If you dare take me out of South Bay, I’ll kill myself right here, and you can blow everyone up.”
Dominic immediately yielded: “Alright, alright, we’ll stay. If you prefer South Bay, we’ll remain here.” He made a call, arranging for South Bay’s most expensive mansion to be prepared immediately. When Ariana walked into the estate, she froze. The interior had been decorated to perfectly replicate her childhood home before her mother’s death.
Dominic embraced her from behind, asking softly, “Do you like it?” Ariana laughed bitterly: “I seem to recall you used similar tactics to please Mia, right?”