Chapter 10 - THE WEDDING WITHOUT A GROOM
Saturday arrived.
So did the guests.
Not all.
Enough.
Celeste had told them the criminal case was a misunderstanding.
She hired private security.
Flowers.
Orchestra.
Champagne.
She arrived in white.
I watched from a surveillance van with police.
Adrian sat beside me.
“You sure about this?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“What?”
“I’d be worried if you were.”
We had a warrant.
But police wanted the financial exchange.
Celeste’s lawyer carried documents.
If she could get Adrian to sign a reconciliation acknowledgment, the twelve-million clause could revive.
Adrian agreed to go inside.
I hated it.
He walked down the aisle alone.
Guests whispered.
Celeste smiled.
“You came.”
“I did.”
She reached for him.
He stepped back.
“Where’s Rosa?”
Her smile flickered.
“I don’t know.”
“Where’s Ross?”
“I don’t know.”
“Where’s your father?”
That one hit.
Victor had agreed to cooperate.
Celeste did not know.
She looked toward the entrance.
Dad walked in.
Cane.
Bruised face.
Cast.
The room changed.
Celeste whispered.
“You.”
Dad said.
“Me.”
Then Victor entered behind him.
Celeste went pale.
“Dad?”
Victor could barely look at her.
“I gave them the lodge.”
She stared.
Then laughed.
Not normal laughter.
“You chose them?”
Victor’s eyes filled.
“I chose to stop.”
Celeste slapped him.
Hard.
The entire room gasped.
For a second, nobody moved.
Then Victor touched his cheek.
He did not retaliate.
He just said.
“I should have done this years ago.”
Police entered.
Celeste backed toward the altar.
Her lawyer ran.
Actually ran.
It would have been funny if Celeste had not pulled a small pistol from beneath the flowers.
Guests screamed.
Adrian froze.
She pointed it at me.
Of course she did.
“You.”
Her hand shook.
Dad stepped in front of me.
Again.
Celeste screamed.
“Move!”
Dad did not.
Then Maria, the caterer Celeste had humiliated, hit the fire alarm.
Sprinklers exploded.
Celeste flinched.
Adrian tackled her.
The gun fired.
And Dad fell.
----
(To be continued)
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