Chapter 4 - The Reed Empire Trembles
"Ladies and gentlemen," my voice boomed through the high-end audio system of the symphony hall. "Thank you all for coming today to celebrate what was supposed to be a marriage of love, honor, and mutual respect."
Nathan’s best man took a step forward. "Emily, what are you doing?" he whispered frantically.
"But unfortunately," I continued, ignoring him completely, my eyes scanning the front rows where Nathan’s prominent parents sat, alongside my own trembling family. "A wedding cannot take place without a groom who understands the meaning of the word 'fidelity.' And a family cannot stand without honor."
A loud murmur erupted through the pews. People began pulling out their smartphones, the recording lights blinking like digital fireflies.
"Emily, stop this right now!" my father shouted from the front row, standing up, his face purple with rage.
"Three months ago," I said, my voice steady, carrying across the massive room with terrifying clarity. "My fiancé, Nathan Reed, decided to engage in an affair. Not with a stranger, but with my maid of honor. My little sister, Olivia."
Gasps echoed through the hall. Nathan’s mother, a proud socialite, covered her mouth, her eyes wide with horror. Olivia dropped her bouquet of roses, sinking to her knees right there on the altar, sobbing into her hands.
"And just this morning," I added, looking directly at Nathan, whose face was completely frozen in terror. "I discovered that my sister is pregnant with his child. My parents knew. His family knew. They all agreed to keep it a secret until after the wedding so they could finalize a multi-million dollar corporate investment deal using my marriage as the signature."
"Emily, please!" Nathan begged, reaching for the microphone. "Don't do this. We can talk about this outside!"
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"The wedding is off, Nathan," I said, my voice dropping but still carrying through the speakers. "The merger is dead. And as for the Hawthorne Logistics company..." I looked back at my father. "You can find a new guarantor. Because I’ve already transferred my fifty-one percent controlling share of the company to a liquidation firm. By Monday morning, the business will be dissolved."
I pulled off my engagement ring, dropped it onto the stone floor of the altar where it bounced with a sharp, metallic ring, and turned on my heel. I walked back down the aisle alone, my white veil flowing behind me, leaving the entire high-society crowd of Nashville in a state of absolute, chaotic ruin.
