Chapter 3 - The Broken Vows
The courtyard exploded into chaotic shouting the second the limousine door clicked shut and the vehicle smoothly pulled away from the hotel curb.
"David!" Arthur Montgomery roared, stepping right into the groom’s face, grabbing him by his lapels. "Is that woman telling the truth?! Is she the owner of Vance & Co.? And are those your children?!"
"I... I didn't know, Mr. Montgomery! I swear to God I didn't know!" David squeaked, his hands trembling as he tried to pull away from his father-in-law's powerful grip. "When we divorced, she didn't say anything about being pregnant! She’s doing this on purpose to ruin my business partnership with you!"
"Your business partnership?!" Arthur barked, shoving David backward so hard the groom stumbled against the white floral archway, sending roses tumbling onto the concrete. "I agreed to back your software expansion because you told me you were a self-made family man with high moral character! I didn't invest two million dollars in a scumbag who left his pregnant wife in a tiny apartment while she worked three jobs to raise triplets!"
"Father! Please!" Olivia sobbed, tears ruining her expensive bridal makeup as her mother wrapped a silk shawl around her shoulders. "Don't ruin the wedding! We can still get married! We can deal with this legal stuff later!"
"Get married?!" Arthur whirled around to face his weeping daughter. "Olivia, look at him! The man lied to you about his past! He spent months making fun of an ex-wife who built a multi-million-dollar design firm from scratch while raising his own flesh and blood! If he treated her like garbage the moment he got a little money, how do you think he’s going to treat you when things get tough?!"
Beatrice rushed forward, trying to pick up her lace fan while smoothing her dress. "Mr. Montgomery, please! Let's be reasonable! David is a rising star in tech! This... this woman is clearly a manipulative opportunist who—"
"Shut up, Beatrice!" Arthur snapped, pointing a trembling finger at David’s mother. "I've listened to you brag about your family's supposed pedigree for six months. You're nothing but a pair of ungrateful line-cutters!"
Arthur turned to his head assistant, who stood near the entrance holding a tablet.
"Call the bank," Arthur commanded coldly. "Freeze the escrow account for the Montgomery-Miller software merger immediately. Cancel the wedding reception catering. Tell the security team to escort Mr. Miller and his mother off the hotel property within ten minutes."
"No! Arthur, wait!" David pleaded, running forward, dropping to his knees on the red carpet, grabbing Arthur’s polished shoes. "Please! Don't do this! My company will go bankrupt without your capital injection! I have payroll due next week!"
Arthur looked down at David with total disgust. He kicked his foot free from David’s grip, adjusted his jacket, and took his sobbing daughter by the arm.
"The wedding is canceled," Arthur announced loudly to the entire crowd. "Everyone, go home."
The two hundred guests began whispering frantically, pulling out their phones to record the scene as Arthur led his family toward their fleet of luxury sedans.
Within fifteen minutes, the grand courtyard was empty, save for the scattered white rose petals, the broken champagne glass, and David sitting on the steps in his ruined tuxedo, staring blankly at the driveway where Emily’s limousine had vanished.
Beatrice sat on the step beside him, fanning herself frantically. "David... what are we going to do? What about the company?"
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David slowly looked up, his eyes bloodshot, a dark, desperate fire lighting up his face.
"She ruined my life, Mother," David whispered, his voice trembling with terrifying rage. "She waited six years just to strike me down on my wedding day. But she forgot... those children are legally my blood. If she wants a war, I’ll take those triplets away from her and take half of her company with them."
