PART 3 — THE FALL OF THE BROOKS FAMILY

The next morning, Boston woke to chaos.
Every major news outlet carried the same headline.
ROYAL HEIR EXPOSES BILLIONAIRE FIANCÉ'S FRAUD AT WEDDING.
Nathaniel became a global laughingstock overnight.
But embarrassment was only the beginning.
Because Isabella had spent three days preparing.
Every financial institution connected to the Brooks family received formal notices.
Credit facilities suspended.
Partnership reviews initiated.
Risk audits opened.
Investment lines frozen.
The Brooks empire began collapsing before lunch.
Nathaniel stormed into his father's office.
"Dad, fix this!"
His father looked sick.
"There is nothing to fix."
"What do you mean?"
His father threw a report onto the desk.
The Brooks dealerships depended heavily on financing from institutions indirectly controlled by Cordovia's sovereign wealth fund.
Institutions Isabella's family influenced.
Without those credit lines...
Everything stopped.
Inventory.
Expansion.
Construction.
Loans.
Cash flow.
All of it.
By sunset, their stock had fallen thirty-seven percent.
Margaret screamed at lawyers.
Vivien disappeared from public view.
And Nathaniel finally understood.
He had not been manipulating a poor girl.
He had been betraying a future queen.
That evening he drove directly to Isabella's hotel.
Security stopped him.
He pushed past them.
Desperate.
Broken.
"Please let me talk to her!"
The elevator doors opened.
And Isabella stepped out.
Flanked by royal guards.

Nathaniel fell to his knees.
For the first time in his life.
He begged.
"I'm sorry."
She stared down at him.
No anger.
No hatred.
May you like
Only disappointment.
And somehow that hurt more.