“I survived the crash,” Julian explained, his gaze shifting directly to Maya. “But I let the world believe I was dead. I needed to see who would slide into my place. I needed to see who would comfort my fiancée. And I didn’t have to wait long, did I, Maya? Within weeks of my ‘death,’ you were already planning a wedding with my brother. And now, you’re carrying a child. Tell me, Marcus, is that baby yours? Or is it mine?”
Maya felt as though the floorboards were opening up beneath her. “It’s yours, Julian!” she cried out, her voice cracking with desperation. “I told Marcus we couldn’t do this! I wanted to wait, but we were both so broken after we lost you. We sought comfort in each other, and… and it was an accident! We only decided to get married because of the baby! We wanted to give the child a family!”
“A touching story,” Julian sneered from the monitor. “But Marcus didn’t comfort you out of grief, Maya. He comforted you to keep you quiet. He knew that if you went looking into my financial records, you would find the offshore accounts. The accounts he used to fund his failing real estate ventures. The accounts he tried to cover up by arranging my ‘accident’ in London.”
“That’s a lie!” Marcus roared, taking a step toward the screen. “I loved you, Julian! I would never hurt you! I tried to save the company!”
“Then explain the signature on the brake inspection waiver, Marcus,” Julian said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “Explain why your private security team was logged at the rental agency the night before my car went off the road. The police in London have already received the files. The local authorities are on their way to this church right now.”
As if on cue, the distant wail of sirens began to echo from the streets outside the chapel.
Evelyn looked at Marcus, the anger in her face turning into a mask of pure horror. “Marcus… tell me it’s not true. Tell me you didn’t hurt your brother.”
Marcus looked around the room, finding no allies. His aunt Clara recoiled from him, her hands covering her mouth. The wedding guests began to shrink back into their pews, leaving a wide, empty space around the altar.
Maya looked at the man she was about to marry, seeing him clearly for the first time. The gentle, supportive brother who had stepped in to dry her tears suddenly looked like a stranger. The sirens grew louder, their red and blue lights starting to flash through the stained glass, casting fractured patterns of color across the white flowers, the open casket, and the wedding dress.
