At my wedding, the officiant asked me:
Willow Vance, what’s your biggest wish after getting married?
Amidst the cheerful chatter about a long and happy life, and maybe some grandkids, I calmly replied:
Divorce.
The officiant looked stunned. Being a seasoned professional, he quickly chuckled, “Our bride has quite the sense of humor!”
“I’m not joking.”
Seeing my serious expression, the officiant froze.
All the guests present stared in disbelief.
Then, everyone’s gaze shifted to my husband, Liam Caldwell, standing beside me.
A flicker of panic crossed Liams eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.
“Willow, don’t be so dramatic.”
My husband gently brushed a strand of hair from my face.
“Since I chose you, youre mine. Forever.”
My father-in-law, Arthur Caldwell, who stood behind Liam, smiled. He addressed the crowd, “Outsiders might think Willow isn’t a match for my son, but I, Arthur Caldwell, am not an unreasonable man. As long as my son is happy, that’s all that matters.”
Everyone immediately seemed to relax, exchanging sympathetic smiles.
[Willow must be totally dizzy from this sudden stroke of luck. She hasn’t even fully woken up yet.]
[Right? Ever since Vance Industries crumbled, they’ve been nothing. It’s truly unbelievable that Mr. Caldwell would marry Willow.]
[So many women were chasing Liam, all prettier than Willow, and many with similar backgrounds. Who would’ve thought the Caldwells would choose Willow in the end?]
[I heard Liam actually pursued her first.]
“Let’s continue.”
Prompted by my father-in-law, the officiant snapped out of his daze and resumed the ceremony.
After the wedding, my answer to the officiant went viral.
It wasn’t surprising; the Caldwell Group was the most influential powerhouse in the entire city.
The Caldwell family taking in a daughter-in-law was already a hot topic; such a dramatic moment was bound to break the internet.
Despite my father-in-law and husband’s explanations, and the guests’ outward understanding, online, the skepticism exploded:
“This marriage is messed up,” “there’s definitely something fishy going on,” “the Caldwells are actually shady,” and so on.
Rumors spread like wildfire, engulfing the whole city.
The Caldwell Group’s stock price began to fluctuate.
My father-in-law panicked. He publicly clarified the situation on television.
After reiterating that my words stemmed from insecurity, he added an objective reason.
“My daughter-in-law was running a high fever on our wedding day, which caused her to speak incoherently. In fact, she doesn’t even remember what she said afterward.”
With that, he produced a diagnostic report with my name on it, showing a fever of 103.1F.
But netizens weren’t convinced; the negative comments continued.
My father-in-law called me to his study.
“Willow, you started this, and you need to put an end to it.”
“No problem, Arthur.”
I readily agreed.
In the video, I spoke earnestly.
“My father-in-law asked me to post a video clarifying what I said at the wedding, claiming I was delirious from a high fever. I think I really should respond. My answer is no. While most people get married hoping to stay together for life, I’m different”
My “explanation” only made things worse; netizens immediately blew up, demanding to know what had really happened.
I didn’t respond.
Before I even logged off, a flood of direct messages poured in. I only replied to one independent investigative reporter.
I warned him, “You should stay out of my business; it could hurt you. If you’re not afraid for your safety, then go ahead. Think carefully.”
He chuckled dismissively.
“Ms. Vance, what I need is a breaking news story.”
Then, he earnestly asked for my opinion, “You’re the breakthrough I need for my investigation. It might cause some trouble in your personal life. Do you mind?”
“I don’t mind.”
Days later, the reporter posted online with the headline: *Saying ‘Divorce’ at the Wedding: A Complex Truth Behind the Scenes.*
“Chairman Arthur Caldwell risked his entire fortune to make a last-ditch effort to save Vance Industries, but ultimately failed.”
“After Richard Vance and his wife tragically passed away, Arthur Caldwell was so grief-stricken he didn’t eat for three days.”
“Liam Caldwell and Willow Vance had an engagement contract long ago. After the Vance family fell, Arthur Caldwell honored his promise and had his son marry Willow.”
The content might have been brief, but it was impactful.
[Wow, so the Caldwells and Vances have known each other for years!]
[Arthur Caldwell is a man of his word, truly admirable!]
[A rare gem of a man!]
Everyone now understood why I had said those words.
[No wonder she felt so insecure. So that’s what happened.]
[She was already prepared for divorce.]
[At least she’s sensible.]
The positive impact was immediate; the Caldwell Group’s stock price soared.
But my father-in-law was furious when he saw the report.
“Who’s investigating this? That damn fool!”
“Arthur, you should be happy. After all, this is good news.”
Hearing me say this, my father-in-law suddenly realized he’d lost his temper. He quickly softened his expression and said, “I’ve always disliked drawing attention to myself.”
As I turned to leave, I heard my father-in-law quietly order his son,
“Find out who’s behind this, and shut it down immediately.”
After that, my father-in-law’s family became exceptionally kind to me, showering me with meticulous care, as if I were a precious treasure they’d brought into their home.
A few days later, the reporter posted online again.
“To marry Willow Vance, the Caldwell family turned down many wealthy alliances, offending numerous business peers.”
“To prevent Liam’s admirers from seeking revenge on Willow for not getting Liam, Chairman Caldwell specifically arranged bodyguards for Willow.”
“The bodyguards are inseparable from Willow; Chairman Caldwell is incredibly devoted to his daughter-in-law.”
Netizens were once again stunned, saying I, Willow Vance, was incredibly lucky to marry into the Caldwell family.
They understood my wedding day comment even more.
My father-in-law’s face grew increasingly dark. He chided his son for his inefficiency, “Didn’t you already find out who it was? Why didn’t you stop them?”
My husband, looking distressed, said,
“That reporter is very persistent. He said he’d already gotten Willow’s permission, so he refuses to give up.”
My father-in-law gave me a sum of money to offer the reporter, hoping he’d drop the investigation.
When I found the reporter with the money, he smiled, “I was just short on clues, and here they come.”
I pretended not to understand him. “What do you mean?”
The reporter stared into my eyes and said softly, “It clearly benefits your father-in-law, yet he doesn’t want the investigation to continue. That tells me he’s afraid of something.”
I secretly nodded to myself. I hadn’t chosen the wrong person.
But I warned him again, “You need to think this through. It’s not too late to stop now.”
“Thank you for the warning, Ms. Vance. But I have to uphold my profession. And I owe it to the public.”
A few more days passed.
Another post from the reporter appeared online.
“The Vance family’s bankruptcy was due to Richard Vance and his wife mistakenly signing a $3 billion contract, leading to their downfall.”
“The Vance family was likely set up.”
“The tip of the iceberg has been revealed. I intend to uncover everything. Please, netizens, be patient; the truth will soon come to light.”
It was late, and the light in the study was still on.
Through the crack in the door, I saw my husband angrily tell my father-in-law, “He took the money and still didn’t stop. He’s asking for trouble.”
My father-in-law’s face was distorted in a menacing grimace, his voice barely a whisper, “I’ll tell you what to do”
Days later, I didn’t see any new posts from the reporter, but I heard about his death.
My best friend told me.
“Willow, did you hear? That reporter investigating you died. He was hit by a car.”
“They say the driver was drunk and fled the scene overnight. The police have issued a warrant.”
My heart felt as if it had been brutally stabbed with a knife. “Are you sure he’s dead?”
“Yes. Your father-in-law demanded that the police absolutely catch the hit-and-run driver and punish him severely. He said after reading the reporter’s posts, he realized his dear friends’ deaths might have had a hidden motive.”
“Your father-in-law said he had planned to investigate with the reporter, but now the lead is suddenly cut off”
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