---- Chapter 4 The anonymous email arrived a week later. There was no subject, no text. Just a video file attached. Gloria opened it. The video was shaky, clearly filmed on a phone. It showed Kiley in the living room of Isiah' s Hamptons estate. She was with Gloria' s Doberman, Zeus. Isiah had always claimed the dog was his, but Zeus only ever truly answered to Gloria. The dog was wearing the emerald necklace. It was draped awkwardly around his muscular neck, the priceless gem glinting against his black fur. "Who's a pretty boy?" Kiley cooed, her voice sickly sweet. She scratched the dog behind the ears. Zeus, ever loyal, wagged his tail. "Does your mommy miss you?" Kiley continued, her voice turning sharp. "Does the old bitch wonder where her favorite toy went?" She took a small, printed copy of the Franco family crest and ---- licked the back of it. She slapped it onto the dog' s forehead. "There. Now you look just like her ancestors. A long line of broke, pathetic losers." She laughed, a high, piercing sound. Then, her face hardened. She slapped the dog across the muzzle. Hard. Zeus yelped, surprised and hurt, and cowered away from her. "Bad dog," she hissed. "You' re not supposed to be weak. You' re supposed to be a killer. Like her." She kicked the dog in the ribs. Zeus whimpered, a low, painful sound. He didn' t fight back. He just lay there, confused and afraid, looking at the camera with pleading eyes. Strangely, as Kiley continued her taunts and kicks, the dog' s whimpers turned into something else. A low growl of what sounded like excitement. His tail gave a few tentative thumps against the floor. It was twisted. Unnatural. Gloria watched the entire two-minute video without a change in expression. When it was over, she closed her laptop. ---- The silence in her office was absolute. Marcus entered, his face grim. He held a thick, cream-colored envelope. "It's here," he said. He handed it to her. It was an invitation. Engraved in gold calligraphy were the words: Isiah Flynn and Kiley Contreras request the honor of your presence at their wedding as they celebrate their union and the beginning of their new family. The wedding was in one month. At their new estate in the Hamptons. "We need to accelerate the plan," Marcus said, his voice urgent. "We can leak the cartel connection now. The SEC will freeze his assets. It will be over." Gloria shook her head. "No," she said softly. She looked at the invitation, at the looping, elegant script announcing the beginning of their new family. "He wants a celebration. A grand spectacle." She stood up and walked to the wall of windows, looking ---- down at the city lights. "Then we will give him one." Acold smile spread across her face. "The wedding will proceed as planned. It' s important to give aman a day of perfect happiness before you destroy him." The day of the wedding arrived, a perfect, sun-drenched afternoon in the Hamptons. The estate was a sprawling monstrosity of glass and white stone, overlooking the Atlantic. Hundreds of guests milled about on the manicured lawns, sipping champagne and eating oysters. Apriest stood on a flower-decked stage, telling the assembled crowd the fairy-tale story of Isiah and Kiley' s love. He spoke of how Isiah, a self-made man from humble beginnings, had been lost in the darkness of the corporate world until he found his light, his salvation, in Kiley. Gloria, watching from a hidden balcony, almost laughed. Humble beginnings. She was his beginnings. She had scraped him out of the gutter and polished him until he shone. He wasn't self-made; he was Gloria-made. The priest' s voice swelled with emotion. "And now, please welcome the beautiful bride, Kiley Contreras!" ---- All eyes turned to the sky. A white, silk-draped swing, suspended from a crane hidden behind the estate, began its slow descent. The bride sat on the swing, her face obscured by a long, traditional veil. Isiah stood at the altar, his face glowing with adoration, his hand outstretched to receive his bride. The swing landed gently on the stage. Isiah, beaming, knelt on one knee. He took the bride' s hand and lifted the veil. It wasn't Kiley. It wasn't a person at all. It was the savaged, bloody carcass of Zeus, the Doberman. The emerald necklace was still around his neck, crusted with dried blood. His jaw was locked in a post-mortem snarl, and his dead eyes stared blankly at Isiah. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Someone screamed. Then another. ---- Isiah recoiled, his face a mask of pure horror, his mouth open in a silent scream. The corpse of the dog sat on the swing, dressed in a wedding veil, a grotesque parody of a bride. From the balcony above, a single sound cut through the rising panic. The sound of slow, deliberate clapping. Gloria stepped into the light, a champagne flute in her hand. "Well, Isiah," she called out, her voice amplified by the estate ' s sound system. "Don' t be rude. Go on. Kiss your bride." In "A Relationship Kept in The Dark" by CrushReel, the storyline unfolds as renowned photographer Jane finds herself drawn to the charismatic rookie model, Hector. Little does she know that Hector harbors a secret—he is actually the heir to a powerful business empire. As their romance blossoms, Hector grapples with concealing his true identity to capture Jane's heart. However, their love story takes a tumultuous turn when jealousy rears its ugly head, threatening to unravel the delicate balance they've built. This modern romance novel delves into themes of hidden identities, unexpected love, and the complexities of maintaining a relationship shrouded in secrecy. With its blend of sweet romance and suspenseful twists, "A Relationship Kept in The Dark" stands out for its exploration of hidden feelings and the consequences of revealing long-held secrets. For readers seeking a captivating tale that combines elements of romance, intrigue, and emotional depth, this ongoing story is available to read at CrushReel. Immerse yourself in the world of Jane and Hector as their journey unfolds against the backdrop of hidden truths and heartfelt revelations.