He paused, surprised—maybe even suspicious. He hadn’t expected me to be so calm. So agreeable. After all, I’d fought him so many times over his “dear Malissa.”
He didn’t dwell on it in the end. With a nod, he turned and left for the hotel, wedding suit crisp, steps confident.
I watched his back disappear down the drive and thought to myself—yeah, it was time. Enid and I needed to go.
Meanwhile, at the hotel, the ceremony was in full swing.
The officiant stood tall, voice echoing through the grand hall. “Mr. Wright, do you take Miss Malissa to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
Milford opened his mouth to speak—but before he could say a word, the old family butler burst through the doors, pale and breathless.
“Sir—something terrible’s happened! Right after you left, those men from the other day—they came back. Reinforcements, maybe. They stormed the house. Took the madam and the young miss!”
The room froze.
“They just sent a video,” the butler stammered, hands shaking. “They—they’ve been killed.”
