Chapter 3: The Broken Vows
The wedding ceremony never resumed.
Candice Sterling, the bride, walked across the marble floor, her silk train sweeping behind her. Her face was pale, her hands shaking as she pulled the diamond engagement ring from her finger.
""Candice, wait!"" Julian pleaded, turning to her with rehearsed desperation. ""Elena is a disgruntled former contractor. She’s trying to sabotage our merger—""
""I saw your face, Julian,"" Candice said, her voice shaking with profound disgust. ""I saw how you looked at that little girl. You looked like a predator. My father warned me that your family’s books were rotten, but I didn't want to believe it. Now I see who you really are.""
Candice threw the multi-carat diamond ring onto the marble floor. It bounced with a sharp metallic clatter, rolling to a stop near Julian’s polished oxfords.
""The wedding is over,"" Candice announced to the room, turning her back on him. ""Clear the hall.""
Julian stood isolated in the center of the grand room, stripped of his bride, his corporate merger, and his social standing within three minutes.
Elena did not stay to watch the aftermath.
May you like
Holding Mia securely in her arms, wrapping her royal blue shawl around the little girl’s shoulders, Elena walked past the staring society guests, down the grand mahogany staircase, and out through the estate’s heavy iron gates into the warm, fresh Georgia evening.
---
