Chapter 2 - The Ruined Reception
The screams of the groom echoed off the high gold ceilings of the Grand Plaza ballroom.
Guests scrambled backward, knocking over tables and breaking champagne flutes in their frantic rush to escape.
The groomsmen stood frozen, paralyzed by the sheer, sudden violence of the protector who had finally snapped.
Ed was on his knees, his hands clutching his pinned foot as the silver knife remained upright through his shoe.
Ryan didn't look back at the chaos he had caused.
He reached out, grabbed my arm gently, and pulled me away from the ruined cake.
"We are leaving, Mara," Ryan said, his voice entirely devoid of the rage he had just displayed.
My mother rushed toward us, her face pale, grabbing my hand as we bypassed the stunned crowd.
Ed’s best man finally found his courage and stepped into Ryan’s path.
"You can't just walk out after doing that!" the man yelled, his hands trembling.
Ryan stopped, turned his head, and looked the man directly in the eyes.
"Get out of the way before I use the carving knife next," Ryan said quietly.
The best man instantly stepped aside, his face draining of all color.
We walked out of the hotel lobby, the red velvet frosting still dripping onto the pristine white marble.
The cool night air hit my face, clearing away the suffocating scent of sugar and blood.
Ryan unlocked his black SUV, helping our mother into the front seat before turning to me.
"Take the dress off in the back, Mara," Ryan ordered, handing me a clean flannel shirt from his trunk.
"We need to preserve the fabric, and we need to get you clean."
I climbed into the back seat, my hands shaking so badly I could barely undo the silk buttons.
Slipping out of my father's dress felt like shedding a ruined skin.
The red stain had soaked completely through to my slip, leaving a mark on my skin.
Ryan drove in absolute silence, the city lights flashing across his stooped shoulders.
"Where are we going?" my mom asked, her voice cracking with emotion.
"To the lawyer's office," Ryan replied flatly.
"Ed thinks this was a wedding, but it was actually the signing of his financial death warrant."
I looked at my brother through the rearview mirror.
"Ryan, what did you do before the wedding?" I asked, a sudden realization dawning on me.
Ryan took a sharp turn, his eyes reflecting the dashboard lights.
"Dad didn't just leave you a dress, Mara," Ryan said.
"He left a conditional clause in the family trust that Ed knew absolutely nothing about."
The SUV pulled up to a sleek glass high-rise in the financial district.
Despite it being nearly midnight, the top floor windows were brightly illuminated.
We walked through the silent lobby, my feet bare, wearing Ryan’s oversized flannel shirt.
The elevator chimed as we reached the executive floor, where a tall woman in a sharp grey suit stood waiting.
"Dr. Albright, Ryan," the attorney said, gesturing toward the conference room.
"We’ve already initiated the emergency asset freeze based on the video footage from the ballroom."
I sat down at the glass table, a nurse from the building’s clinic immediately handing me wet wipes to clean my face.
As the red dye came off, the harsh reality of the situation finally settled into my mind.
Ed hadn't just wanted a funny video for his social media followers.
He had wanted to break my spirit publicly so I wouldn't question his financial decisions.
"Look at the screen, Mara," the attorney said, clicking a remote control.
The monitor displayed a series of corporate bank accounts under the name Albright Holdings.
"Ed spent the last three months trying to transfer the trust funds into his personal LLC," Ryan explained.
"But the trust dictates that any act of public marital misconduct voids the marriage contract before the license is filed."
"The license wasn't filed yet?" I asked, my breath catching in my throat.
"No," Ryan said, a cold smile finally appearing on his face.
"I delayed the clerk’s filing intentionally because I never fully trusted him."
Suddenly, the conference room phone began to ring loudly.
May you like
The caller ID displayed Ed’s name, broadcasting from the city’s emergency hospital ward.
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