She Destroyed the Wedding Dress—Then Dakota’s Father Opened the Envelope

Chapter 05 - Serena Refuses Her Inheritance

Serena had spent most of her life believing Dakota resented her.

Victoria said Eleanor’s daughter considered the second family illegitimate. She said Dakota planned to remove Serena from every trust once Charles died.

Serena accepted the story because distance looked like evidence.

Dakota attended boarding school.

Then university.

Then restoration projects across Europe.

The sisters met during holidays filled with careful conversations and competing expectations.

Now Serena read the waiver naming her as beneficiary representative.

A private schedule showed the compensation attached to the role.

Ten million dollars at appointment.

Another twenty million after the Meridian sale.

Victoria had prepared an entire future in Serena’s name without telling her.

“I do not want this.”

“You say that because you are frightened,” Victoria replied.

“I say it because it is fraud.”

Victoria’s face hardened.

“Everything I built was for you.”

“You built it using Dakota’s signature.”

Serena removed her bridesmaid pin and placed it beside the scissors.

Then she handed Naomi her phone.

Messages from Victoria instructed her to keep Dakota away from the bridal suite during the rehearsal dinner and photograph the dress’s interior label.

Serena had followed the first request, believing it concerned a surprise alteration.

She had not sent the photograph after becoming suspicious.

Her cooperation had helped Victoria.