Chapter 1 - The First AmendmentThe white rose petals scattered under my heels felt like crushed glass, yet my pace remained steady. Nathan stood at the altar, looking every bit the devoted fiancé in his tailored charcoal suit, adjusting his cuffs with practiced nonchalance. Linda beamed from the front row, her posture rigid with triumph,
They had no idea I had completely rewritten the script at 1:00 AM.
When the string quartet swelled into the processional march, Nathan’s eyes locked onto mine, flashing with a momentary flicker of greed disguised as adoration. He leaned in as I reached the altar, whispering under his breath, "You look breathtaking, my love. Almost ready for forever."
"Forever is a very long time, Nathan," I replied, my voice chillingly calm. His brow twitched, a micro-expression of confusion that vanished as the officiant cleared his throat.
Reverend Thomas smiled warmly at the assembly of two hundred guests—half of them my corporate colleagues, half of them Nathan's social-climbing associates. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today..."
Ten minutes passed in a blur of traditional vows. Then came the moment every dramatic wedding narrative pivots on. Reverend Thomas paused, looking out over the congregation with a solemn nod. "If any person here knows cause why these persons may not be lawfully joined together, let them speak now, or forever hold their peace."
Usually, this is a moment of quiet tension. Today, it was a trigger.
I withdrew my hand from Nathan's grip, stepping backward. The murmur died instantly. I didn't look at Nathan; I looked straight at my wedding coordinator standing by the soundboard, and gave a sharp, two-finger nod.
The massive overhead projector screens—which Nathan thought were reserved for a romantic photo montage of our relationship—suddenly flickered to life.
Instead of baby pictures, the pristine white screen flashed with a high-definition audio waveform.
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Before Nathan could turn around, his own voice echoed through the high-end cathedral speakers, crisp and amplified: "After the wedding, she'll sign whatever I put in front of her... especially with those freak kids. She's desperate for stability."
The church went dead silent, save for the hum of the projector.
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