Chapter 5 - The Wedding Morning
The wedding day arrived under bright autumn skies at a historic manor outside town. Two hundred guests sat beneath draped ivory satin and floral arches. Lauren looked radiant in a five-thousand-dollar imported lace gown, walking down the aisle with a serene, angelic smile that made my stomach churn. Daniel stood at the altar, eyes glistening with absolute devotion, holding the wedding bands in his palm.
I sat alone in the front row, wearing my navy blue dress, holding a small leather clutch containing the flash drive and copies of the police warrants. The string quartet played a soft, classical melody that seemed entirely too peaceful for the tempest about to unfold.
Across the aisle, Lauren’s parents sat beaming with pride, completely oblivious to the criminal enterprise their daughter had engineered. They whispered to each other, dabbed away happy tears, and clapped quietly as the flower girl scattered rose petals down the aisle.
Daniel kept glancing back toward the entrance, his chest rising and falling with nervous excitement. When Lauren finally appeared at the double doors on her father's arm, Daniel’s breath hitched. He looked like a man walking toward heaven, completely blind to the trap waiting for him at the altar steps.
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As Lauren reached the front, her father placed her hand in Daniel's. She offered Daniel a breathtaking, cinematic smile. He slipped his hand into hers, whispering something that made her giggle softly.
My pulse roared in my ears. The officiant stepped forward, opened a small leather-bound book, and cleared his throat to begin the ceremony.
