Chapter 10: The Guest Who Never Entered the Wedding
The door shook again.
Lily screamed quietly.
I pulled her behind me while Vanessa stood frozen near the window.
“What do you mean?”” I whispered.
Her eyes remained fixed on the person outside.
“The person who planned to be at your wedding…”
She swallowed.
“…wasn’t Vanessa.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Then who?””
Before she could answer, the door stopped shaking.
Silence filled the house.
That was somehow worse.
I reached for my phone and called the police.
The call barely connected before the front window shattered.
Glass exploded across the floor.
I pushed Lily down and covered her with my body.
“Stay here!””
Vanessa grabbed a nearby lamp.
“Ethan!””
“I know!””
Footsteps moved through the house.
Slow.
Confident.
Whoever had entered wasn’t afraid.
They wanted us to know they were here.
Then a voice came from the hallway.
“Ethan.””
I froze.
I knew that voice.
Not personally.
But I had heard it before.
At the wedding rehearsal.
At the venue.
A man who introduced himself as a family friend.
The man who shook my hand and said he was happy for my future.
I stepped forward.
“Daniel?””
My best friend’s face appeared in the doorway.
But it wasn’t the Daniel I knew.
The friendly smile was gone.
The warmth was gone.
He looked calm.
Almost relieved.
“Hello, Ethan.””
I couldn’t move.
“No.””
Daniel sighed.
“I knew this would happen eventually.””
My mind raced.
“You?””
He looked at Vanessa.
“She told you everything?””
Vanessa stepped forward.
“You were never supposed to be involved.””
Daniel laughed softly.
“That’s where you’re wrong.””
I stared at him.
“You helped me plan my wedding.””
“Yes.””
“You stood beside me.””
“Yes.””
“You pretended to be my friend.””
His expression barely changed.
“I was your friend.””
The anger inside me exploded.
“Then why?””
Daniel looked at Lily.
And my entire body went cold.
Because he wasn’t looking at her like a child.
He was looking at her like an answer.
“You have no idea what she is carrying.””
I stepped between them.
“Don’t look at my daughter.””
Daniel raised his hands.
“I’m not here to hurt her.””
“Then why are you here?””
He looked at Vanessa.
“She knows.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No. I know what you’re trying to do.””
Daniel smiled.
“After all these years, you still think you can fix your mistake.””
My eyes moved between them.
“What mistake?””
Neither answered.
That scared me more.
Daniel walked closer.
“Your wife discovered the truth. She tried to expose us.””
“Us?””
He ignored me.
“But she made one mistake.””
“What?””
“She trusted the wrong person.””
His eyes moved to Vanessa.
Vanessa looked away.
My stomach dropped.
“You?””
Vanessa’s face tightened.
“I never wanted this.””
Daniel laughed.
“You always say that.””
I looked at Vanessa.
“Tell me.””
She closed her eyes.
Then whispered:
“I gave them information.””
The words hit harder than anything else.
“What information?””
“About your wife.””
My hands shook.
“You helped them?””
“I thought I was protecting my daughter.””
“And my wife died because of it?””
Vanessa started crying.
“I didn’t know they would hurt her.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Enough.””
I turned toward him.
“You killed my wife.””
His expression became colder.
“No.””
He looked at Lily.
“Your wife chose to fight.””
The way he said it made my skin crawl.
“She chose your daughter.””
I grabbed the nearest chair.
“Get out.””
Daniel smiled.
“You still don’t understand.””
“Understand what?””
“That Lily isn’t the end of this.””
He pointed toward the old wooden box.
“She’s the beginning.””
Suddenly, police sirens echoed outside.
Daniel looked toward the window.
For the first time, his calm expression cracked.
He stepped backward.
“This isn’t over.””
I moved forward.
“You’re not leaving.””
But Daniel was already heading toward the back door.
Before disappearing, he looked at Lily.
And said something that made her face turn pale.
“Your mother promised she would tell you when you were old enough.””
Lily froze.
“What?””
Daniel smiled.
“She never got the chance.””
Then he disappeared into the darkness.
I ran after him.
But he was gone.
Only one thing remained.
May you like
A small envelope on the floor.
With my name written on it.
