Chapter 4 - The Abandoned Stroller
Julian sprinted out of the dressing room, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird. In the corridor, little Lily was backed against the wall, holding the baby in the gold dress protectively against her chest. Standing a few feet away, blocking the exit, was a towering man in a dark trench coat—a private security guard hired for the venue, looking deeply confused and uncomfortable.
"What is going on here?" the guard demanded, holding up a large leather diaper bag. "I found this abandoned near the service elevator. A woman matching the bridesmaid's description shoved it into my arms and told me to give it to the groom before she bolted out the back exit."
Julian exhaled sharply, stepping forward with his hands raised in a placating gesture. "It's fine. I'm the groom. Give that to me." He took the diaper bag, feeling its surprising weight. Inside, alongside diapers and baby bottles, was a heavy manila envelope stamped with a confidential legal seal.
Lily peeked around the guard's legs, her tears finally slowing down, though her breathing remained ragged. "Daddy... Aunt Sarah said if you didn't take us, we had to go back to the shelter."
Julian’s stomach plummeted into an abyss. A shelter? His daughter and an infant had been living in a shelter while he planned a lavish, half-million-dollar wedding in the heart of the city? The guilt was a physical blow, knocking the wind from his lungs.
Clara reappeared at the end of the hall, her arms crossed over her wedding gown, her face an unreadable mask of cold detachment. She looked at the diaper bag, then at Lily, and finally at Julian.
"Read the envelope, Julian," Clara said quietly, her voice devoid of emotion. "Let’s see what else your wonderful secret life has prepared for us."
May you like
Julian’s trembling fingers broke the seal of the manila envelope, pulling out a thick stack of documents. The topmost paper was a certified birth certificate bearing his own name as the father, dated four years ago, alongside a notarized custody agreement signed by a woman Julian hadn't seen in half a decade—his estranged ex-fiancée, Maya.
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