Chapter 3 â The Wedding Gift

Chapter 3 â The Wedding Gift
I walked back to the ballroom still wearing my wedding dress.
Only now, I wasnât walking toward a marriage.
I was walking toward a public execution.
Mine.
Or his.
The guests turned as I entered.
Whispers spread instantly.
Maverick followed behind me, pale and furious.
Penelope stayed upstairs.
Coward.
My father stood near the stage holding an envelope.
His jaw was tight.
âAmy,â he said quietly, âthis was delivered to the front desk this morning.â
I took it.
Inside were bank records.
Emails.
Screenshots.
Messages between Maverick and Penelope.
And one message from Maverick to his best man:
After the wedding, Amy signs everything over. Sheâll never know until itâs too late.
My breath caught.
Then I saw another line.
Penelope is nervous. Keep her quiet until the vows are done.
I turned toward Maverick.
âYou were going to marry me just to take my house?â
His mother stood from the front row.
âNow, letâs not be dramatic.â
The entire ballroom went silent.
I looked at her.
âYou knew?â
She lifted her chin.
âMy son deserves security.â
Something inside me broke.
Not in a weak way.
In a clean way.
Like a chain snapping.
I walked onto the stage and took the microphone.
âAmy,â Maverick hissed. âDonât.â
I looked out at three hundred guests.
Then I smiled.
âThank you all for coming.â
The room went dead quiet.
âI know you came here to watch a wedding.â
I turned toward Maverick.
âBut instead, youâre about to witness a confession.â
His face darkened.
He lunged toward the stage.
My father stepped in front of him.
âTry it,â Dad said.
Maverick froze.
I lifted the forged prenup.
âMy fiancĂ© disappeared before the vows because he was upstairs with my maid of honor.â
Gasps filled the room.
Penelope appeared at the ballroom entrance, crying.
I kept going.
âAnd while I was downstairs waiting to marry him, he was preparing forged documents to steal property from me after the wedding.â
Maverick shouted, âSheâs lying!â
Then Linda stepped forward.
âNo,â she said. âShe isnât.â
Everyone turned.
Linda held up her phone.
âThe hotel hallway camera caught them entering Room 237 together.â
Maverickâs mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Then two police officers walked into the ballroom.
And behind them...
Penelopeâs father.
His face was burning red.
May you like
He looked straight at Maverick and said,
âYou used my daughter too?â