CHAPTER 2 — THE FACE HER FATHER HID FOR TWENTY YEARS
The clasp fell into Ethan's hand.
The mask loosened.
No one moved.
No one even blinked.
Seraphine's fingers trembled as she slowly lowered the mask.
A gasp rippled through the ballroom.
There were no scars.
No disfigurement.
No terrible disease.
Her face was breathtaking.
Almost impossibly beautiful.
The silence became heavier than before.
Ethan frowned.
He looked from Seraphine...
To Victor.
"Why?"
Victor's smile disappeared.
"You don't understand."
"I don't."
Ethan answered quietly.
"You told the world she was hiding a medical condition."
Victor looked toward the cameras.
"Turn them off."
Nobody moved.
The livestream continued.
Millions were still watching.
Seraphine finally spoke.
It was the first time anyone outside her family had heard her voice.
"My father lied."
The room froze.
"I never had a disease."
"I had something much more dangerous."
She slowly turned toward the guests.
"I knew too much."
A wave of whispers spread through the ballroom.
Victor stepped forward.
"That's enough."
She looked directly into his eyes.
"No."
"You've spoken for me my entire life."
"It's my turn."
She reached into the hidden pocket sewn inside her wedding gown.
Pulled out a small velvet pouch.
Ethan stared.
"What is that?"
"My insurance."
She emptied it onto the officiant's table.
A gold key.
A USB drive.
A faded photograph.
Victor's face turned ghost white.
"No..."
He whispered.
"You promised."
"I promised Mother."
Seraphine corrected him.
"Not you."
She picked up the photograph.
A smiling woman held a little girl wearing the exact same pearl necklace Seraphine wore today.
"My mother."
The guests leaned closer.
"She died in a house fire."
Victor interrupted immediately.
"That's correct."
Seraphine slowly shook her head.
"No."
"She died two days later."
"In a private hospital."
The ballroom erupted.
Ethan stared at her.
"You've known all this time?"
She nodded.
"I wasn't hiding my face."
"I was hiding evidence."
Then she looked at Ethan.
"If you marry me today..."
"...they'll come after you too."
Before Ethan could answer...
The ballroom doors burst open.
A woman in an FBI jacket walked inside.
She held up a warrant.
"Victor Ashford..."
May you like
"We need to speak with you about the death of your wife."
END OF CHAPTER 2.
