PART 4: The Shadow in the Light
Emily stood in the doorway in her flowing white silk gown, holding a glass of champagne, her smile slowly fading as she looked from my tear-streaked face to the velvet box in Mark’s hand.
“Mark?” Emily asked softly, her voice wavering with rising suspicion. “Mom? What are you two doing out here in the dark?”
Mark instantly froze, hiding the box inside his palm as he took a quick step back toward the shadow of the brick wall.
“Emily, sweetheart,” I stammered, trying desperately to compose myself before her heart was completely shattered on her own wedding night. “Mark was just… he was telling me about how you two met.”
Emily stepped onto the terrace, her heels clicking loudly against the flagstone as her eyes narrowed on her new husband. “I’m not stupid, Mom. I’ve seen the way he looks at your old high school photos in the hallway. I know who he really is.”
The terrace went dead silent as Mark and I both gasped in absolute shock. Did Emily know the truth all along? Continue reading Part 5 below for the final resolution.
