The morning of her wedding dawned clear and brilliant. Mo Chen was dressed in a gown that was a modern marvel, woven with optical fibers that made it shimmer with a soft, ethereal light. She looked in the mirror and saw a queen.
The ceremony was beautiful. She walked down the aisle on her father's arm, past the smiling faces of the world's most powerful people. Julian waited for her at the altar, his smile blinding. They exchanged vows under the ancient oak tree. The sun shone. It was perfect.
The reception was a lavish affair in a massive, clear-span marquee on the great lawn overlooking the lake. As twilight fell, thousands of fairy lights twinkled to life. Mo Chen was dancing with her new husband, her head on his shoulder, utterly content.
"I have a surprise for you, my love," Julian whispered. "A fireworks display, just for us. But we need to get a better view from the west terrace. It's more private."
He led her away from the crowd, towards the older wing of the estate where the utilities and main gas lines were housed. It seemed an odd choice, but she trusted him.
As they stepped onto the deserted terrace, Julian's grip on her arm tightened, turning from affectionate to painful.
"Julian? What are you doing?" she asked, a trickle of cold fear running down her spine.
The charming smile vanished from his face, replaced by a cold, calculating emptiness she had never seen before. "I'm claiming my inheritance, my dear. The entire Yun-Mo empire. It's a pity you have to be part of the collateral damage."
He shoved her hard against the wall next to a large gas meter. Before she could scream, he pulled a small device from his pocket. "The Thorne family doesn't do mergers. We do acquisitions."
He pressed a button.
The world turned to white-hot fire and unbearable noise. The last thing Mo Chen saw was Julian Thorne's face, silhouetted against the explosion, utterly devoid of emotion, before the blast consumed her.
The fireball engulfed the marquee, the house, everything. The perfect fairytale ended in a single, brutal act of betrayal. The Golden Heiress and her entire family were wiped out, their legacy seemingly erased in a tragic, accidental gas leak.