Chapter 7: The Video He Never Wanted Me to See
I stared at David’s message until the screen went dark.
*Don’t watch that video. You don’t know what you’re about to see.*
A warning.
Not a denial.
That was the part I couldn’t ignore.
If the video proved I was the villain, why was he afraid of me watching it?
I looked at Vanessa’s file again.
My finger hovered over the screen.
Margaret leaned closer.
“Elena.””
I looked at her.
“Are you sure you want to see this?””
I almost laughed.
“After everything that happened today?””
My voice cracked.
“I need the truth.””
I pressed play.
For the first few seconds, the screen showed the church entrance.
The camera angle was from the back row.
Vanessa had recorded everything quietly.
The guests were arriving.
The flowers were being arranged.
Everything looked normal.
Then David appeared.
My heart tightened.
He was wearing the same suit.
The same smile.
The same face I had kissed that morning.
But then I saw something I didn’t expect.
He wasn’t alone.
Margaret appeared on the screen.
She was standing near the entrance.
She looked upset.
Their conversation was quiet, but the microphone caught enough.
David turned toward his mother.
“You shouldn’t have done this.””
Margaret looked confused.
“Done what?””
“You know exactly what.””
“I only told Elena the truth.””
My breath stopped.
The video jumped slightly as Vanessa moved closer.
David’s expression changed.
“You had no right.””
Margaret’s voice trembled.
“And you had no right to marry her while planning to leave.””
The room around me disappeared.
Planning to leave.
Those words were now coming from his own mouth.
David shook his head.
“You don’t understand.””
“No,” Margaret replied.
“I understand perfectly.””
He stepped closer.
“You’re trying to destroy my life.””
Margaret looked hurt.
“I’m trying to stop you from destroying hers.””
The video continued.
David ran a hand through his hair.
“I can’t cancel the wedding now.””
“Why not?””
“Because everyone is here.””
My stomach turned.
Not because he said it.
Because I remembered.
Everyone being there had mattered more to him than me.
Margaret stared at him.
“You’re worried about embarrassment.””
David didn’t answer.
That was enough.
The video moved forward.
Then I saw something that made my entire body freeze.
Vanessa appeared in the corner of the screen.
She approached David after Margaret walked away.
They spoke quietly.
But the microphone caught every word.
“You need to stop this,” Vanessa said.
David looked angry.
“You shouldn’t be here.””
“I needed to see if you were really going to do it.””
“Do what?””
“Marry her.””
A long silence followed.
Then David said:
“I have to.””
Vanessa’s voice broke.
“No, David. You want to.””
“No.””
“Yes.””
She stepped closer.
“You want the applause. You want everyone thinking you’re the perfect husband.””
David looked away.
“And what happens after?””
Vanessa asked.
“When the wedding photos are posted? When everyone congratulates you?””
He didn’t answer.
Then Vanessa said the sentence that made my hands go cold.
“You’re going to make her the reason you leave.””
David looked at her.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do.””
“Yes, you do.””
The video ended.
I sat there in silence.
No tears.
No anger.
Just emptiness.
Because hearing rumors was one thing.
Seeing proof was another.
Margaret reached for my hand.
I pulled away.
Not because I hated her.
Because I needed a second to breathe.
“He knew,” I whispered.
Margaret nodded.
“Yes.””
“He stood there.””
“Yes.””
“He looked at me.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I know.””
I covered my face.
The worst part wasn’t losing David.
It was realizing I had almost married someone who had already decided how our story would end.
My phone buzzed.
Another message from David.
*Please don’t let them manipulate you.*
I stared at it.
Then another message appeared.
*Margaret has always been good at making people choose sides.*
I showed it to Margaret.
She closed her eyes.
“He’s going to blame me.””
“He already is.””
She looked at me.
“Elena, there’s something else.””
I frowned.
“What?””
She hesitated.
“I didn’t tell you everything about the morning of the wedding.””
My stomach tightened.
“What else happened?””
Margaret looked at the video.
Then back at me.
“Before you arrived at the church, David came to me with one request.””
“What request?””
May you like
Her voice dropped.
“He asked me to help him make sure everyone believed you were the reason the wedding ended.””
