The white roses lining the aisle at St. Jude’s Chapel looked pristine under the morning sun, filling the air with a sweet, suffocating fragrance. To the three hundred guests filling the pews, it was the social event of the season—the heiress to a tech empire marrying her handsome, devoted fiancé.
Ethan stood at the altar in a tailored black tuxedo, looking every bit the nervous, overjoyed groom. Next to him, Marcus adjusted his lapel with a sharp, practiced smile, playing the role of the attentive best man. In the front row, Vivian wore a soft lavender gown, dabbing a handkerchief at her eyes as if holding back tears of pride.
None of them noticed the slight delay in the organ music, nor did they catch the four men in dark tailored suits stepping quietly into position near every exit. I stood in the holding room behind the grand oak doors, wearing a sleek silver silk suit instead of my fifty-thousand-dollar lace wedding dress.
When the heavy doors swung open, the murmurs spread through the crowd like wildfire. Guests turned, gasping as I walked down the aisle alone, carrying no flowers, no veil, and no intention of repeating vows.
Ethan’s smile faltered, a flash of confusion passing over his sharp features before he quickly smoothed it into a look of tender concern. He took a step forward, extending his hand toward me as I reached the altar steps. “Claire? Darling, what’s going on? Where is your dress?”
I stopped three feet away from him, looking into the eyes of the man who had held me the night before while planning to drown me in a cold lake. The silence in the chapel became so absolute you could hear the flickering of the altar candles.
“I decided a wedding gown wasn’t appropriate attire for a corporate liquidation,” I said, my voice steady, carrying clearly across the stone sanctuary.
Vivian stood up from the front pew, her voice dripping with maternal anxiety. “Claire, sweetheart, what are you talking about? You must be overwhelmed from all the stress. Ethan, help her sit down.”
“Don’t touch me,” I said, my gaze locking onto Ethan as he reached for my arm. I pulled a slim black remote from my jacket pocket and pointed it directly at the two massive LED screens set up at the front of the church to play our photo slideshow. “Before we exchange vows, I think our guests should review the final contract.”
Turn to the next page to see what appeared on the giant screens.
