Forced Marriage: My Wife, My Redemption by Lilyheart

Chapter 379: This is the end

Lady Matilda’s voice carried through the grand hall, firm though tinged with weariness.

"With this, every official document in the Santiagos’ name is hereby revoked, as well as every position handled in the Santiagos’ name and group."

The silence that followed was suffocating. At the end of her speech, she turned away from the podium.

Her hands clasped behind her, her back slightly hunched, she walked with the heaviness of someone bearing the weight of decades.

Her steps were steady, but every stride whispered of pain and finality.

They had been family for long, but rather than destroy the Santiagos’ family’s peace, tradition, name, and belief, she better maintain this decision.

This moment pulled her back to the day she severed Nora’s ties with the Andersons.

She had cried and mourned, begged her daughter to reconsider, but Nora had turned a deaf ear.

Lady Matilda had been forced to wield the blade of family law then, as she was now.

Some decisions were unavoidable. Painful. But for the sake of the family, necessary.

Her shoulders sagged beneath the weight of it all.She had felt pain, she had felt hurt, but then it was for the better. Her shoulders sagged.

Pausing, she whispered with a sigh, "Donald, announce this decision at the banquet hall. Inform Davis the ladies have been relieved of the Santiagos’ name."

Donald frowned, his voice low and uncertain. "But Mother, what if he takes up the matter for prosecution?"

Her gaze softened for a moment before it hardened again. "If he does... let it be. They committed a crime, and they must pay the price."

"But..."

"But.."

Her raised hand silenced him mid-protest. "There is no but. It is decided. They are no longer Santiagos. Their life and death are no longer ours to worry about."

Her voice faltered briefly, betraying a flicker of sorrow. "I must rest. Davis is not unreasonable."

She left quietly, her figure retreating into the dim corridor, leaving Donald rooted to the spot, his heart sinking like a stone.

The remaining members of the family slipped away one after the other, each weighed down by shock and grief.

None could deny the evidence: the recording, the video, the poolside confrontation.

No longer hearsay. Yet the verdict still sat heavily in

not in

creating a business atmosphere for the guests as they mingled, discussing the current trend

not receiving the invitation to

that by the next time

with a glass of wine. He twirled the crimson

face was unreadable...blank,

the air around him felt heavy, suffocating, as though charged with unspoken

steady rhythm. Ethan, seated opposite him, had his heart in his throat. A suffocating silence settled

he glanced at the steady rhythm of the finger.

wished it would be easy to break the silence, but it seemed more important to

at his wits’ end, the sound of the music dimmed, drawing the attention of the guests

as

the music dimmed, and all attention shifted to

stood beneath the spotlight, his composure outwardly calm,

they locked with Davis’s gaze, his breath caught. Just as his mother had predicted,

as the old lady

up and spoke, his voice

a sad occurrence this evening. And to anyone who may feel offended, we humbly

air, he cleared his voice to continue. "Also, we are using this medium to express

the guests

be related to

there any other

hope it is

on the stage,

be Santiagos’ family members. This decision was taken unanimously, as stipulated by the

line with this decision, every business arrangement and engagement in their name

with murmurings, their gaze drifting

cause you all."

his

are close by," came the collected

Santiagos’ home and request for Bernice and Cassandra. They attempted murdering my wife in a pool,"

other end gasped.

them succeed, otherwise I might have

deep breath, "I will soon be

and exited the hall

the blaring of the police sirens pierced through the

at him in greeting as he made his way towards the hall, followed by a few of