Chapter 2 - The Husband Who Chose His Family
The microphone was still in my hand.
The ballroom was silent.
Hundreds of eyes were watching me.
Some were curious.
Some were confused.
Some were already judging me.
But the only person I could see was Daniel.
My husband.
The man standing beside the woman who had just insulted my parents.
The man who had looked at me and told me not to make everyone uncomfortable.
I looked down at my phone again.
The message was still there.
Ask him about Sarah.
My fingers tightened around the device.
Sarah.
I knew that name.
But I didn't understand why a stranger would send it to me on my wedding night.
I slowly lifted my eyes toward Daniel.
His expression had changed.
A few seconds ago, he looked annoyed.
Now he looked nervous.
Really nervous.
And that scared me more than anything.
Because Daniel wasn't the type of man who panicked easily.
He was always calm.
Always prepared.
Always in control.
That was one of the reasons I fell in love with him.
When my car broke down on a highway during our first year together, he drove two hours in the middle of the night to help me.
When I was sick, he showed up with soup and medicine.
When I lost my job, he sat beside me and said, "We'll figure it out together."
I believed those moments were proof of his character.
But standing there with a wedding ring on my finger, I started wondering if those moments were just another performance.
"Emily."
Daniel's voice interrupted my thoughts.
He walked closer.
"Come on. We should talk privately."
I looked at him.
"Privately?"
He glanced around the room.
"Yes."
I almost laughed.
Because five minutes earlier, he didn't care that my parents were publicly humiliated.
But now he cared because people were watching me question him.
"Interesting," I said quietly.
His jaw tightened.
"What does that mean?"
I looked at the microphone.
Then at my parents.
My father was still standing near the entrance.
My mother was holding back tears.
They were waiting for me to decide what to do.
And for the first time in my life, I realized something.
My father had spent years protecting me from people who could hurt me.
But tonight, I had to protect myself.
I turned toward the guests.
"I apologize for interrupting the reception."
The room remained silent.
"But before this celebration continues, I need to understand something."
I looked directly at Daniel.
"Why were my parents removed from the main table?"
A wave of whispers moved through the ballroom.
People started looking at each other.
Daniel's mother immediately stepped forward.
"Emily, this is unnecessary."
I looked at her.
"No."
My voice surprised even me.
"This is exactly necessary."
Victoria's face hardened.
"You are letting emotions control you."
I smiled slightly.
"No. I'm finally letting the truth control me."
The guests became even quieter.
Daniel moved closer.
"Emily, please."
I looked at him.
"Did you know?"
He didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
My chest tightened.
"You knew."
Daniel looked away for half a second.
Just half a second.
But I saw it.
Guilt.
Or maybe fear.
I couldn't tell anymore.
"I knew the seating was adjusted," he finally admitted.
My stomach dropped.
"Adjusted?"
I repeated the word.
"The word your mother used?"
He didn't respond.
I felt tears burning behind my eyes.
Not because I was embarrassed.
Because I was disappointed.
There is a difference.
Embarrassment makes you want to hide.
Disappointment makes you see clearly.
"Daniel, my parents helped build my life."
I pointed toward them.
"My father worked two jobs when I was younger so I could have opportunities he never had."
My voice shook.
"My mother stayed awake every night when I was sick."
I looked back at him.
"They are the reason I became the person you said you loved."
Daniel's face softened for a moment.
But then Victoria spoke.
"Don't turn this into a guilt scene."
I looked at her.
A guilt scene.
Those words stayed in my mind.
Because she wasn't sorry.
She wasn't embarrassed.
She was annoyed that I had noticed.
"I understand now," I whispered.
Victoria raised an eyebrow.
"Understand what?"
I looked around the room.
At the expensive decorations.
The beautiful flowers.
The perfect wedding.
The perfect image.
"I understand that some people don't care about love."
I looked at Daniel.
"They care about appearances."
Nobody spoke.
Then something happened.
My father walked toward me.
Slowly.
He touched my shoulder.
"Emily."
I turned around.
His eyes were gentle.
"Don't destroy your happiness because of us."
That was the moment my heart broke.
Because even now, he was protecting me.
Even now, after being insulted, he was worried about my future.
I held his hand.
"No, Dad."
My voice became stronger.
"You didn't destroy anything."
I looked at Daniel.
"Someone else did."
The room became uncomfortable.
Guests started leaving their conversations.
Some people looked embarrassed.
Some looked entertained.
A wedding had become a courtroom.
And Daniel knew it.
He leaned closer.
"Emily, whatever this is, we can fix it."
I stared at him.
"Can we?"
"Yes."
"Then tell me who Sarah is."
His entire face changed.
It was small.
Almost invisible.
But I saw it.
His eyes moved.
His breathing stopped for a second.
And suddenly, I knew.
Sarah wasn't just a random name.
Daniel looked at my phone.
Then back at me.
"Where did you hear that name?"
I didn't answer.
I wanted to see what he would do.
Would he tell me the truth?
Would he explain?
Would he finally choose me?
Instead, he lowered his voice.
"Emily, you need to delete that message."
The words felt like ice.
"Why?"
"Because you don't know what you're dealing with."
I stared at him.
"What does that mean?"
He looked around.
At his family.
At the guests.
At the ballroom.
Then he whispered:
"It means someone is trying to ruin our lives."
I almost couldn't believe it.
"Our lives?"
I looked at my ring.
The diamond suddenly felt heavier.
"You mean your life."
His silence confirmed everything.
Victoria stepped beside him.
"We should leave."
I turned toward her.
"Leave?"
She nodded.
"This wedding has become inappropriate."
I looked at her.
"You mean because I asked questions?"
Her expression changed.
"You are emotional right now."
"No."
I shook my head.
"I'm finally not."
Daniel reached for my hand.
I pulled away.
The movement shocked him.
Maybe because I had never done that before.
Maybe because he was used to me forgiving him.
But something inside me had changed.
The woman who walked into that ballroom believing she was marrying her best friend was gone.
I looked at the stage.
The microphone was still there.
The entire room was waiting.
And then I made a decision.
I wasn't going to let Daniel's family control the story.
Not anymore.
I walked back to the microphone.
Daniel followed.
"Emily, don't."
I turned around.
"Don't what?"
He didn't answer.
Because he knew.
I raised the microphone.
"My husband wants everyone to believe tonight is just a misunderstanding."
I looked at the guests.
"But it's not."
Daniel's face became pale.
I continued.
"Because there are things about Daniel that I discovered before this wedding."
A few guests gasped.
Victoria stepped forward.
"Stop."
I ignored her.
"There is a reason I stayed quiet."
Daniel whispered my name.
"Emily."
But I kept going.
"There is a reason I gave him one last chance to tell me the truth."
The room froze.
Daniel looked at me like he was begging me to stop.
Then my phone vibrated again.
Another message.
This time, from the same unknown number.
I looked down.
My heart stopped.
The message had only one sentence.
"Don't let him talk. Ask him where Sarah disappeared three years ago."
I slowly lifted my eyes.
Because Daniel was no longer looking at me.
He was looking behind me.
May you like
At someone standing near the ballroom entrance.
Someone who had just walked in.
