Chapter 1 - The Stormy Interruption
The heavy oak doors of St. Jude Cathedral burst open, letting in a violent gust of wind and sheets of chilling rain.
A young girl with long brown hair, wearing a wet light blue hoodie and dark jeans, sprinted down the immaculate white carpet. She clutched a worn brown envelope tightly against her chest.
At the altar, the tall groom in his pristine black tuxedo and the elegant bride in her strapless white gown froze.
The girl’s voice echoed sharply through the cavernous holy space, cutting through the ambient silence.
"Don’t marry her!"
The groom turned slowly, his face twisted in utter shock and confusion.
"Who are you?" he demanded, his voice ringing harshly against the stained glass windows.
The girl stopped a few yards away, breathing heavily, her chest heaving as water dripped from her dark hair onto the marble floor.
"I’m Lucy, Olivia’s daughter," she declared with fierce, trembling urgency.
A collective gasp rippled through the handful of seated guests, shattering the illusion of a fairytale wedding.
The bride’s eyes widened in sheer panic, her knuckles turning white as she gripped her white bouquet.
The groom stared at Lucy, his expression shifting from confusion to a cold, creeping realization that threatened to dismantle his entire life.
With shaking hands, the groom stepped forward and snatched the brown envelope from Lucy’s grasp, tearing it open to find several cashier's checks bearing familiar signatures.
The bride dropped her bouquet to the floor, lunging forward to grab his arm.
"Get out of here!" the bride screamed hysterically, glaring daggers at the young intruder.
Lucy didn't flinch, holding her ground as the groom stared unblinkingly at the signature on the top check.
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"Wait," the groom whispered, his voice dangerously low. "Where did you get these names?"
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