Chapter 7 - THE WEDDING THAT CONTINUED
Daniel returned home the morning after Ruth’s injury.
Vanessa was waiting in the kitchen.
“Where were you?”
“With my mother.”
“She exaggerated the fall.”
“Her wrist is broken.”
Vanessa poured coffee.
“At her age, bones break easily.”
Daniel stared at her.
“She fell because you pushed her.”
“I touched her shoulder. She lost her balance.”
“The salon has cameras.”
For half a second, Vanessa froze.
Then she laughed.
“Those cameras don’t record inside private fitting areas.”
Daniel said nothing.
He allowed her to believe that.
Vanessa approached him.
“You understand how this looks, right? If you cancel now, everyone will say your mother controlled you.”
Daniel pictured Ruth on the hospital floor.
“Everyone?”
“The press. Investors. Our guests. The board.”
“Why would the board care who I marry?”
“Because marriage shows stability.”
She wrapped her arms around him.
He did not return the embrace.
Vanessa interpreted his stillness as fear.
“You are not going to ruin both our lives over one misunderstanding.”
“No,” Daniel said. “I won’t ruin the wedding.”
It was the answer she wanted.
She kissed him.
Daniel felt nothing.
That afternoon, he met Samantha and Detective Bennett at the hotel.
They reviewed the wedding schedule.
At 5:30 p.m., Daniel and Vanessa would sign the marriage license.
At 6:00, the ceremony would begin.
At 7:00, the families would enter a private reception office to sign the Family Unity Agreement.
Gloria had arranged for Dr. Bell to attend.
She planned to have him document Ruth’s “confusion” if Ruth refused.
Detective Bennett needed the original forged documents and evidence showing the family intended to use them.
The wedding would proceed until Vanessa brought the document case into the chapel.
Daniel canceled the guest portion privately.
Every invitee received a message stating that Ruth had suffered a medical emergency and the ceremony had been postponed.
They were asked not to contact Vanessa directly because Daniel wanted to tell her himself.
Close family and trusted company directors were invited instead to a separate ballroom, where they would watch the evidence after law enforcement secured the suspects.
The officiant agreed to cooperate.
The wedding planner, horrified by the fitting-room footage, agreed to keep Vanessa on schedule.
The chapel musicians were dismissed.
The floral team completed the decorations so nothing looked suspicious.
Daniel’s tuxedo remained hanging in the groom’s room.
He never intended to put it on.
Vanessa continued planning.
She selected champagne.
She demanded white roses be replaced because they looked “cheap.”
She complained that Ruth’s cast would ruin family photographs.
Then she asked Daniel whether Ruth could remain seated during the ceremony.
“She may not attend,” Daniel said.
Vanessa smiled.
“That may be for the best.”
Daniel turned away so she would not see his expression.
At the hospital, Ruth watched the final security arrangements on Samantha’s tablet.
“You could simply have her arrested now.”
“For the assault, yes.”
“But not the rest.”
“Not yet.”
Ruth studied her son.
“Are you doing this for justice or revenge?”
Daniel considered the question.
“Justice stops her from doing this to anyone else.”
“And revenge?”
“Revenge would be letting her walk down the aisle before she learns I’m gone.”
Ruth raised one eyebrow.
Daniel sighed.
“Maybe there’s a little of both.”
“Keep the justice. Let the evidence handle her pride.”
May you like
👉 Daniel canceled the celebration but preserved the ceremony—because Vanessa’s family was about to bring the final proof into the chapel themselves.
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