The Video That Stopped the Wedding
Chapter 03 - The Video That Stopped the Wedding
No one spoke when the screen went black.
Adrian recovered first. He gave a strained smile and said the silver packet contained a vitamin supplement. He claimed Noah had complained of exhaustion during the rehearsal dinner, and Celeste had asked him to add it to the juice as a harmless surprise.
Noah looked at Celeste. “Did you ask him to do that?”
Her eyes moved toward her mother, Victoria Vaughn, who sat in the front row wearing a silver gown and an expression of perfect control.
“I may have mentioned vitamins,” Celeste said. “The week has been stressful.”
Grace folded her arms. “Then why did Adrian attack the person who saw him?”
“He did not attack her,” Victoria said. Her voice was calm enough to make the accusation sound impolite. “This employee is trying to create a scandal because she knows who Noah is.”
Elena swallowed. “I did not even know his last name until today.”
The hotel manager suggested taking the matter into a private office. Noah refused. Privacy was useful when people wanted the truth. At that moment, everyone around him seemed to want only silence.
He asked security to collect the broken glass, the remaining liquid, and the flower knife shown in the video. He also asked someone to call the police. Celeste stared at him as if he had betrayed her.
“You are canceling our wedding over a stranger’s accusation?”
“I am pausing it until I know what was in my drink.”
“You promised to trust me.”
“I trusted you enough to stand here.”
That answer struck harder than he intended. Celeste’s face crumpled, and for one second Noah almost reached for her. Then Adrian suddenly pushed past a guard and ran toward the side corridor.
Grace shouted. Security caught him before he reached the kitchen. A silver wrapper fell from his jacket and landed near a chair. Detective Cole, an off-duty guest who worked with Noah’s foundation, stepped forward and told everyone not to touch it.
The ballroom dissolved into confusion. Guests were escorted to adjoining rooms. Police officers arrived. The string quartet packed its instruments without making eye contact. Outside, reporters gathered after someone posted a twelve-second clip of Elena knocking the glass away.
Celeste removed her veil and placed it on a chair. “You have humiliated me,” she told Noah.
He stared at the woman he had planned to marry. “Your brother tampered with my drink.”
“And you chose a waitress over your future wife.”
“No,” Noah said quietly. “I chose the truth over a ceremony.”
The police separated them for interviews. As Elena was led toward the service hall, she stumbled from exhaustion. Grace caught her and noticed that Elena’s apron pocket was empty.
“Where is your phone?” Grace asked.
May you like
Elena looked down in alarm.
The phone containing the only complete copy of the recording was gone.
