The Forsaken Son-in-law

Chapter 1: The Wedding of Intentions

The evening sun sank behind the marble towers of Veradena, casting a warm golden glow across the Hall of Eden — the grandest event center in the city. Chandeliers shimmered like captured stars, violins sang softly, and a thousand eyes watched the man of the hour: Billy Lawson.

He stood tall in his tailored tuxedo, a picture of calm charm. His lips curved in the kind of smile that could melt ice — practiced, perfect, but hollow. Across from him, Shantel Damaris walked slowly down the aisle, her white gown trailing like spilled moonlight. Her eyes, deep brown and full of emotion, searched Billy’s face for a flicker of sincerity. She found a smile there, but not warmth.

When she finally stood before him, he took her hands. His touch was firm — maybe too firm — as if sealing a deal, not a destiny.

“Do you, Billy Lawson, take this woman—” the pastor began.

Billy’s gaze didn’t leave Shantel’s. He could feel the weight of her love pressing against the thin walls of his deceit. He swallowed the truth and said, “I do.”

Applause thundered through the hall. Champagne corks burst like fireworks, and the wealthy whispered approvingly about how Shantel had found a fine husband. Somewhere near the front, Mr. and Mrs. Damaris, Shantel’s parents, smiled proudly — oblivious to the quiet calculation behind Billy’s eyes.

As the ceremony carried on, Billy’s mind drifted away from vows and faith and into numbers and fortunes.

The Damaris fortune — built on oil, shipping, and silent power — was enough to make any man dream. Marrying into it meant he’d never have to struggle again. He had grown up poor, scraping through the gutters of Veradena, and he’d vowed he would never bow to poverty again.

And now, with one ring, he had climbed higher than he’d ever imagined.

---

Later that night, under the silver glow of the city, Billy and Shantel stood on the balcony of their hotel suite. The reception had ended, and laughter from the guests still echoed in the distance.

Shantel leaned against the railing, her veil now gone, her hair untied. “You didn’t say much tonight,” she said gently. “Are you nervous?”

Billy’s arm circled her waist. “Nervous? No. Just thinking.”

“About what?”

“About… us.” He said it slowly, choosing his tone with care. “How lucky I am to have you.”

She smiled, eyes shining. “You mean that?”

He turned her face toward his. For a brief second, something real flickered inside him — something he couldn’t name. But it was gone before he could catch it. He kissed her softly, and she melted into him, whispering, “I’ll make you happy, Billy. I promise.”

Billy smiled again, that same perfect, polite smile. He held her close, but inside, his thoughts were already racing toward something else — plans, assets, and influence.

Shantel, lost in love, didn’t see the faint emptiness behind his gaze. She only saw the man she believed was hers forever.

---

Days turned into weeks, and Veradena’s social pages were filled with photos of the newlyweds. Billy became the talk of the city — the charming son-in-law of the Damaris empire. He played the role well: devoted husband in public, quiet dreamer at business dinners. But at night, when Shantel slept peacefully beside him, Billy lay awake counting futures that weren’t his yet.

He’d started visiting the Damaris offices under the pretext of learning the ropes, but his real aim was to find the hidden keys to the inheritance. He listened, watched, waited. Every smile at the dinner table was part of a strategy.

One afternoon, while walking through the estate gardens with Shantel’s father, Mr. Damaris, the older man placed a hand on Billy’s shoulder. “You’re a good man, Billy,” he said warmly. “And I see promise in you. I’m not getting any younger. One day, this family will be in your care.”

Billy’s heart leapt. He masked his excitement with practiced humility. “I only wish to serve and protect this family, sir.”

Mr. Damaris smiled, pleased. “Good. Because everything I’ve built — it’s not just wealth, it’s legacy. And legacy needs loyalty.”

Loyalty.

The word hit Billy like a whisper of warning, but he brushed it aside. He was already imagining himself in that office, sitting behind that mahogany desk, holding the power that had always been denied to him.

---

That night, he found Shantel reading in bed. She looked up and smiled, the soft light painting her face with warmth. “Father told me he’s proud of you,” she said. “He said you remind him of his younger self.”

Billy sat beside her, forced a laugh. “That’s… good news.”

She closed her book. “Billy, I don’t care about money or power. I just want you. The rest doesn’t matter.”

He hesitated, watching her — the woman who loved him beyond reason. For a fleeting moment, he wanted to mean it when he said, “You have me.” But deep inside, he knew the truth: she had only the shadow of him.

---

Outside their window, the city lights of Veradena blinked like false stars — beautiful, distant, and deceiving. Somewhere among them, Billy’s ambition grew restless. He had everything a man could want: a wife who adored him, a family of influence, a life most men would envy.

But to Billy Lawson, it still wasn’t enough.

And though he didn’t know it yet, every selfish dream he chased from that night onward would lead him straight into the arms of his punishment.