PART 2 The Woman Who Saved the Groom
The ballroom remained silent.
Nobody moved.
Not the guests.
Not the musicians.
Not even the bride.
Everyone was staring at the giant screen showing the impossible truth.
The woman everyone had believed was preparing for the happiest day of her life...
Had been secretly poisoning her future husband.
Daniel Hayes stood frozen beside the altar.
His eyes never left the screen.
The video ended.
The room erupted.
"Is this real?"
"Someone call the police!"
"What kind of person does that?"
The bride, Victoria, finally found her voice.
"Turn that off!"
She looked around desperately.
"It's fake!"
But nobody believed her.
Daniel slowly turned toward her.
"Victoria..."
His voice was quiet.
Almost broken.
"Tell me it's not true."
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Then her expression changed.
The fear disappeared.
The tears disappeared.
And for one second...
Daniel saw the woman behind the mask.
"You don't understand."
He took a step back.
"Understand what?"
Victoria looked around the room.
At the guests.
At the cameras.
At the maid standing near the altar.
Then she pointed at her.
"She did this."
Everyone turned.
The maid looked shocked.
"Me?"
Victoria's voice became colder.
"She has been obsessed with destroying me since the day she started working here."
The guests whispered.
The maid shook her head.
"No."
"I found the bottle in the kitchen."
"I saw what she did."
Victoria laughed bitterly.
"Of course you did."
"You were the only person who could have planted it."
Daniel looked between them.
He didn't know who to believe.
Then the maid slowly reached into her pocket.
She removed a small envelope.
"I knew you would say that."
She handed it to Daniel.
Inside were photographs.
Documents.
Messages.
Daniel looked through them.
His face changed.
The pictures showed Victoria meeting secretly with a man.
The same man who had been managing Daniel's family company finances.
The documents showed transfers.
Millions of dollars.
Hidden accounts.
Daniel looked up.
"What is this?"
The maid swallowed.
"My name is not Anna."
The entire room went quiet.
"My real name is Emma Carter."
Daniel frowned.
"Why does that matter?"
She looked directly at him.
"Because three years ago..."
"...my father died because of the people standing beside your bride."
Victoria's face went pale.
"Stop talking."
Emma continued.
"Your company was supposed to merge with my father's company."
"But someone leaked false information."
"My father lost everything."
"Then he died."
Daniel stared at her.
"What does this have to do with Victoria?"
Emma looked toward the bride.
"She wasn't trying to kill you because she hated you."
"She was trying to stop you from discovering the truth."
Daniel's breathing became heavy.
"What truth?"
Emma lowered her voice.
"The wedding wasn't about love."
"It was about your inheritance."
Victoria stepped forward.
"You don't know anything."
Emma smiled sadly.
"No."
"But I know exactly what your mother and your lawyer planned."
She turned to Daniel.
"They needed you married before midnight tonight."
"Why?"
Emma handed him another document.
"Because your grandfather's trust transfers full control of the company to your spouse after the wedding ceremony."
Daniel looked at Victoria.
And finally understood.
May you like
The poison wasn't the biggest betrayal.
The marriage was.
