The Wedding Pearls

Part 2 – The Man Who Lost Control

By eight o’clock that evening, the entire Duca family knew the wedding had been canceled.

By nine, Boston’s business community was whispering about it.

And by ten, Matteo Duca had discovered that Clare Bennett wasn’t answering any of his calls.

He stood inside his private office overlooking Boston Harbor, his jacket thrown over a leather chair.

His mother, Isabella, sat across from him.

“What exactly happened?” she demanded.

Matteo poured himself a glass of whiskey.

“Clare overreacted.”

Isabella narrowed her eyes.

“Because of Natalia?”

“Because of a bracelet. Apparently, a piece of jewelry is more important to her than our marriage.”

His mother looked disgusted.

“You gave another woman the bracelet intended for your bride?”

Matteo’s expression hardened.

“Natalia needed help.”

“And Clare?”

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“She has everything.”

Isabella shook her head.

“You’ve spent three years teaching that woman that she comes second. Don’t act surprised because she finally believed you.”

Before Matteo could respond, his assistant entered.

“Sir, there’s a problem.”

“What?”

“Bennett Maritime has withdrawn from tomorrow’s joint investment announcement.”

Matteo slowly put down his glass.

“What did you say?”

“Miss Bennett has instructed her legal department to suspend all negotiations with Duca Shipping.”

“That agreement was practically finalized.”

“Not without her signature, sir.”

Matteo grabbed his phone.

“Get me her father.”

Twenty minutes later, Richard Bennett answered.

“Richard, we need to discuss Clare.”

Richard’s voice was cold.

“No. You need to discuss your behavior.”

“I’m sure she’s told you an exaggerated version of what happened.”

“She told me you gave her wedding bracelet to another woman.”

Matteo rubbed his forehead.

“It was a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding is forgetting an anniversary, Matteo. Giving another woman your bride’s wedding jewelry is a decision.”

“Richard, we have a business agreement.”

“We had one.”

Matteo straightened.

“You can’t cancel everything because of a personal disagreement.”

“Actually, we can. My daughter owns the controlling shares. And she’s decided she doesn’t want to do business with you.”

The call ended.

For the first time that evening, Matteo felt something close to panic.

He immediately called Clare again.

This time, she answered.

“Hello?”

“Finally.”

“Did you need something?”

“Stop this nonsense.”

There was a brief silence.

Then Clare asked quietly, “Which part?”

“The business withdrawal. You’re making an emotional decision that could affect hundreds of employees.”

“Interesting. You suddenly care about consequences.”

“Clare, listen to me. Come back tomorrow. We’ll fix everything.”

“Will Natalia return my bracelet?”

“I’ll buy you a better one.”

“Will she surrender the seat beside your mother?”

Matteo exhaled sharply.

“Don’t be childish.”

Clare laughed softly.

“That’s what I thought.”

“I’m your fiancé.”

“Not anymore.”

“Three years, Clare. You’re throwing away three years over one mistake?”

“No, Matteo. I’m walking away after three years of mistakes.”

He lowered his voice.

“You know I love you.”

Clare looked through the floor-to-ceiling windows of her father’s office.

Outside, Boston Harbor glittered beneath the winter lights.

“Then you should have treated me like someone you loved.”

She ended the call.

Matteo stared at his phone.

Across the room, Natalia appeared in the doorway.

“Is everything all right?”

He didn’t answer.

She approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Perhaps Clare just needs time.”

Matteo looked at her.

For the first time, the pearls around Natalia’s wrist irritated him.

“Take that bracelet off.”

Her smile disappeared.

“What?”

“The bracelet. Take it off.”

“But you gave it to me.”

“I said take it off.”

Natalia slowly unclasped it.

But Matteo’s problems were only beginning.

The next morning, Bennett Maritime released a brief statement announcing that all proposed partnerships with Duca Shipping had been suspended indefinitely.

Within an hour, two investors postponed their meetings with Matteo.

By noon, his board demanded an emergency meeting.

And at two o’clock, he received a photograph from an unknown number.

It showed Clare entering the headquarters of Bennett Maritime.

She wasn’t wearing her engagement ring.

Instead, she was wearing a navy-blue tailored suit, a cream silk blouse, and the expression of a woman who had finally remembered her own worth.

The message beneath the photograph contained only six words.

She’s taking control of the company.

Matteo read it twice.

Then he ordered his driver to take him to Bennett Maritime.

He had no intention of letting Clare walk away so easily.

He still believed he could make her come back.

He was about to discover how wrong he was.