On the day of my father's funeral

On the day of my father's funeral, my billionaire husband Ethan Whitmore rented out an entire theme park just to celebrate his first love Olivia's birthday. The story hit every trending feed across the country. Reporters camped outside the gates, shoving microphones toward him. Mr. Whitmore, isn't today the day of your wife's father's funeral? Ethan pulled Olivia closer. His expression dripped with adoration. Richard is gone. Olivia is still here. Rather than stand around at a funeral, I'd rather cherish the person I got back. At the funeral, everyone looked at me with pity. Ethan's mother, Diane, walked over and made a show of adjusting my collar. Don't let the press catch you falling apart. Ethan and Olivia have a history no one can erase. You've always known that. You're still his lawful wife. If you don't make a scene, you can at least keep some dignity in the divorce. Your father was buried today. Don't let his funeral turn into nothing but a marriage scandal. But they all seemed to have forgotten. Three years ago, Whitmore Holdings was drowning in debt. My father leveraged every connection he'd built over his lifetime to get them a loan extension. And the final trust authorization he'd signed lay quietly in my purse. I can revoke that loan authorization at any time. I wasn't going to make a scene. I'd make them crawl on their knees and repay all they owed my father. With interest. I pulled out my phone and sent a message to my lawyer, Daniel. The reckoning begins. Let Ethan get hit with his bankruptcy notice inside that theme park. Diane stood beside me. When she saw me looking at my phone, she dropped the act entirely. Can you put the phone down for five minutes? It's your father's funeral. She crossed her arms and looked me over coldly. There's no one left on the board to clean up your messes. Stop pretending you still have options. Without Ethan, you can't even hold on to the company. She had never known true power. That was why she was so eager to write me off. I didn't answer. I just stood there, looking at my father's photo on the memorial table. He had died peacefully. Because before he closed his eyes, he had already laid the final path for me. Diane's voice grew sharper. Richard's emergency-loan condition was the only reason Ethan abandoned Olivia to marry you. He's already given seven years to a loveless marriage. Now he's choosing the person he actually wants. Sign the voting proxy over to Ethan tomorrow morning. Ethan is doing you a favor by taking over. A few investors with close ties to the Whitmore family chimed in. Claire, market stability is the priority right now. At least Ethan has management experience. The board won't hand thousands of employees over to anyone who's never held real power. With this, Diane was more certain than ever I was backed into a corner. Where are Richard's trust documents? Turn them over to Ethan's lawyers for review. Fine. If you want my voting rights, tell Ethan to come ask me himself. Diane froze. She stared at me, suspicious. But then she convinced herself I had no way out, that I would have to bend to their will. At least you're finally facing reality. Sign the papers and leave quietly. Ethan's lawyers will give you a decent settlement. She turned and walked out of the church like she'd won a war. I picked up my phone again. Every social media platform was flooded with live streams of Ethan's theme park spectacle. He and Olivia were telling the cameras about the years they'd lost, as if I were the villain who had destroyed their love. Ethan even announced publicly, We've been separated for ages. Our marriage is dead in every way that matters. Once the divorce is finalized, I'm going to give Olivia the most extravagant wedding imaginable. I let out a cold snort. He thought he had won. Little did he know that these were his last moments of recklessness. I watched Ethan's smug face on the screen and tapped my fingers against the pew. Daniel's reply appeared. Ms. Bennett, all debt documents and court filings are prepared. Awaiting your confirmation. I stood up and took one last look at my father's photo beside the altar. Bring the car around. We're going to the theme park. Ethan wanted a love story witnessed by the entire internet. Fine. I would personally deliver the ending. The park blazed with lights. It looked like a fairytale castle wrapped in neon. The entrance was blocked off with security barriers. A dozen private guards held the gates. I sat in the car and lowered the window, staring coldly at the massive screen nearby. The screen was broadcasting live footage from inside the park. Ethan had invited financial media and entertainment reporters to the scene. Mr. Whitmore, we heard you spent millions to book the entire park tonight. Drone show, tens of thousands of imported roses. What's the special occasion? Today marks one year since Olivia and I found our way back to each other. Seven years ago, I entered a marriage I never wanted to save my family's company. Not a day has passed that I haven't regretted it. So today I want the world to know, Olivia is the only woman I have ever loved. Ethan, thank you. I've never been this happy. But we understand today is also the funeral of your wife's father, Richard Bennett. Does your absence mean the alliance between the Whitmore and Bennett families is over? His voice filled with undisguised contempt. Bennett Group, that's a sinking ship. It's been bleeding revenue for years. If Whitmore Holdings hadn't kept pouring in resources, it would already be in bankruptcy. I didn't attend the funeral because Claire can't even be grateful. She's blaming Richard's death on Olivia. For the sake of our years together, I'll legally acquire Bennett Group's core assets. At least she'll be taken care of.