CHAPTER 3 – “THE GROOM’S SMILE DISAPPEARED”
Ryan stared at the folder as if the papers inside had burned his hands.
The laughter that had filled the garden only minutes earlier was gone.
No one was filming anymore.
No one was smiling.
The same guests who had laughed at Emily now stood frozen, pretending they had never enjoyed her humiliation.
Ryan swallowed hard.
“Aunt Margaret… this is insane.”
Margaret’s voice stayed calm.
“No, Ryan. What was insane was pushing your bride into a fountain in front of three hundred people and calling it love.”
Ryan forced a nervous laugh.
“Come on. Emily knows I was joking.”
Everyone turned to Emily.
She stood wrapped in Margaret’s coat, her wet wedding dress dripping onto the marble floor.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then she slowly removed her wedding ring.
Ryan’s eyes widened.
“Emily…”
She placed the ring on the table beside the folder.
“You promised to protect me,” she whispered. “But the first thing you did as my husband was humiliate me.”
Ryan stepped closer.
“Baby, don’t do this here.”
Emily looked at the guests.
“Funny. You didn’t mind doing it here.”
The garden fell completely silent.
Then the photographer suddenly stepped forward.
His voice trembled.
“Mrs. Bennett… I think you need to see this.”
He handed Emily his camera.
On the screen was a short video.
Ryan standing with his friends before the photoshoot.
Laughing.
Planning the prank.
Saying, “This video will explode online.”
Emily’s face turned pale.
So it had never been an accident.
It had never been a joke.
It had been planned.
Ryan lunged toward the camera.
“Delete that!”
But Margaret’s security guard stepped between them.
Ryan froze.
Margaret looked at the photographer.
“Make copies. Now.”
Then she turned to the guests.
“And anyone who filmed my niece-in-law crying in that fountain… I suggest you think very carefully before posting it.”
At that moment, Ryan’s mother rushed forward, furious.
“This is still my son’s wedding! You can’t destroy him over one stupid joke!”
Emily looked at her quietly.
“No. He destroyed himself.”
Ryan’s mother raised her hand as if to slap Emily.
But before she could touch her—
Emily caught her wrist.
The entire crowd gasped.
Emily’s voice was soft.
“Don’t make the same mistake he did.”
For the first time that day, Ryan’s family had no words.
And then, from behind the crowd, a deep male voice said:
“Actually… there’s something else everyone should know.”
Ryan slowly turned around.
His best man was standing there.
May you like
Holding Ryan’s phone.
And his face looked terrified.
