Chapter 3 - THE FOOTAGE ON THE SCREEN
The corridor suddenly felt too small.
My mother sat in a nearby chair while Marcus stood beside her.
Claire remained near the dressing-room doors.
The venue manager held the tablet between us.
“Do you want me to play it?”
I nodded.
The video began.
There was no sound.
Only the image.
My mother appeared first.
She was holding her cane.
She moved slowly down the corridor.
Claire stepped out of the dressing room.
They exchanged a few words.
I couldn't hear them.
Then Claire looked toward the ballroom.
My mother turned away.
Claire glanced around.
And extended her foot.
The movement was unmistakable.
Her jeweled heel struck the cane.
The cane flew across the floor.
My mother lost her balance.
She fell.
I watched the footage twice.
The second time, I noticed something I had missed.
Claire didn't reach for her.
She didn't even move.
She simply stood there and watched my mother fall.
Then she checked her reflection in the mirror.
I felt something inside me go completely silent.
The venue manager stopped the video.
Nobody spoke.
Claire looked at me.
“Ethan…”
I raised my hand.
“Don't.”
“It wasn't what it looked like.”
I stared at her.
“It was recorded.”
“She was blocking the hallway.”
“You kicked her cane.”
“I didn't mean for her to fall.”
“You watched her fall.”
Claire's expression tightened.
“You don't understand what happened before that.”
My mother looked up.
“What happened?”
Claire looked at her.
For the first time, there was open hatred in her eyes.
“You were insulting me.”
My mother looked confused.
“I said nothing.”
“You said I was changing Ethan.”
My mother shook her head.
“I never said that.”
Claire laughed bitterly.
“You always say things indirectly.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“That's enough.”
Claire turned toward him.
“This is between Ethan and me.”
Marcus's voice became cold.
“No. You hurt his mother.”
Claire turned back to me.
“You're really going to let everyone believe I'm some monster?”
I looked at the screen.
“No one has to believe anything.”
I pointed at the footage.
“They can watch.”
The venue manager lowered the tablet.
“Mr. Carter, there is something else.”
I looked at him.
“What?”
He swiped to another video.
“This camera covers the parking entrance.”
The footage showed Claire arriving that morning.
She was not alone.
A man stepped out of a black SUV.
He was tall.
Dark-haired.
And familiar.
I stared at the screen.
My heart stopped.
The man was Daniel Ross.
Claire’s former fiancé.
I had been told he moved overseas two years ago.
I had never met him.
But I had seen his photograph.
Claire had shown it to me during our first month together.
She had cried while telling me how badly he had betrayed her.
She had said she never wanted to see him again.
Yet there he was.
Standing beside her wedding venue.
At 8:17 that morning.
Claire's face turned white.
I slowly looked at her.
“Why was Daniel here?”
She didn't answer.
“Claire.”
She swallowed.
“He came to return something.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
The venue manager looked uncomfortable.
“There is another clip.”
He played it.
Daniel handed Claire a small envelope.
She opened it.
Then looked around.
The footage showed her putting the envelope inside her purse.
I looked at her.
“What was in the envelope?”
Claire said nothing.
My mother slowly reached for her cane.
And when she looked at Claire…
I saw something I had never seen before.
Recognition.
“Ethan,” she whispered.
I turned.
“What?”
My mother was staring at the screen.
“I know that man.”
Claire’s expression changed.
My mother continued.
“He came to our house.”
Claire stepped forward.
“Your mother is confused.”
My mother looked directly at her.
“No.”
Her voice was weak.
But certain.
“He came to the house two weeks ago.”
I stared at Claire.
“You told me Daniel was in Europe.”
Claire said nothing.
May you like
And suddenly…
The wedding was no longer the biggest problem in the room.
