Chapter 2: The Red Light
Daniel stared at the tablet.
His thumb hovered over the screen.
Behind him, the bridesmaids had stopped whispering.
Nobody moved.
The bright mirror lights reflected off the tablet's glass, making everyone's faces look strangely pale.
Jessica rose slowly from the floor.
“Daniel,” she said, “you don't need to do this.””
He looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because this is between me and your mother.””
Gloria gave a small, disbelieving laugh.
“You just told everyone I attacked you.””
Jessica's eyes filled again.
“I was scared.””
Daniel looked down at the scratches on her arm.
Then toward the camera.
Then back at Jessica.
“You said she grabbed you.””
“She did.””
“Then the camera will prove it.””
Jessica's mouth tightened.
One of the bridesmaids stepped forward.
“Jessica, maybe we should just watch it.””
Jessica turned sharply.
“Stay out of this, Tasha.””
Tasha froze.
Daniel's expression changed.
“Don't talk to her like that.””
Jessica immediately softened.
“I didn't mean—”
Daniel raised his hand.
“Enough.””
His voice wasn't loud.
That made it worse.
Gloria watched her son carefully.
She had seen Daniel angry before.
This was different.
He wasn't defending Jessica anymore.
He was trying to understand.
Daniel tapped the tablet.
A password screen appeared.
Jessica's face drained of color.
“Daniel.””
He glanced at her.
“What?””
“I don't think the camera is recording.””
Gloria pointed toward the corner.
“The red light is on.””
Jessica swallowed.
“Those lights don't always mean anything.””
One of the relatives stepped closer.
“Let me check.””
He leaned toward the mirror.
“The camera is connected.””
Jessica's eyes darted around the room.
“Maybe it's not working.””
Daniel stared at her.
“Why do you care if it's working?””
She didn't answer.
The silence stretched.
Then Daniel unlocked the tablet.
The security application opened.
A grid of camera feeds appeared.
The dressing room feed filled the screen.
Daniel's finger hovered over the timeline.
Gloria took one step closer.
Jessica took one step backward.
“Don't,” Jessica whispered.
Daniel looked at her.
“Don't what?””
“Don't embarrass me on my wedding day.””
Gloria's heart sank.
Not because Jessica was embarrassed.
Because of the way she'd said it.
Like she already knew what was on the screen.
Daniel pressed the timeline.
A few seconds of footage appeared.
The dressing room.
Empty.
Jessica was nowhere in sight.
The overturned chair wasn't overturned yet.
The makeup bottles were still neatly arranged.
The flowers were untouched.
Daniel paused.
His eyes narrowed.
He dragged the timeline backward.
Jessica appeared.
Alone.
She walked into the room.
Everyone leaned closer.
Tasha whispered, “Oh my God.””
Jessica closed her eyes.
“It's not what you think.””
Daniel didn't answer.
On the screen, Jessica walked toward the vanity.
She looked around.
There was no Gloria.
No bridesmaid.
No relative.
Nobody.
Jessica stared at the doorway.
Then at the mirror.
Then she reached for the vanity chair.
She lifted it.
And deliberately threw it onto the floor.
The crash echoed through the tablet speakers.
Someone gasped.
Gloria covered her mouth.
Daniel didn't blink.
On the footage, Jessica crouched beside the fallen chair.
She picked up a makeup bottle.
Threw it.
Then another.
She scattered brushes across the floor.
Her movements were calm.
Deliberate.
Almost rehearsed.
Then she looked at her own forearm.
Jessica on the screen dragged her fingernails across her skin.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
The room behind Daniel became completely silent.
Present-day Jessica shook her head.
“Daniel, please.””
He didn't look at her.
On the tablet, Jessica scratched herself again.
Then she dropped onto the floor.
She arranged her veil across her shoulder.
Pressed her palms against her face.
And waited.
Seconds passed.
Then she suddenly began crying.
Not because anyone had hurt her.
Because someone was about to walk through the door.
Daniel's eyes slowly lifted from the screen.
He looked at Jessica.
She couldn't meet his gaze.
“You knew,” he whispered.
Jessica shook her head.
“I can explain.””
“You knew there was a camera.””
“No.””
“Then why did you look at it?””
“I didn't.””
“You did.””
Her breathing became faster.
Gloria stood motionless.
Daniel turned back toward the tablet.
The footage continued.
Jessica remained on the floor.
Waiting.
Waiting.
Then the dressing-room door opened.
Gloria entered.
Jessica immediately raised her head.
The video captured everything.
The moment Jessica saw Gloria.
The moment her expression changed.
And the moment she began screaming.
Daniel stopped the video.
His hand trembled.
“Mom…”
Gloria didn't answer.
She was staring at Jessica.
Jessica looked trapped.
Then she suddenly reached for Daniel's arm.
“Please,” she whispered.
“Listen to me.””
He pulled his arm away.
May you like
The tablet screen remained frozen on Jessica's face.
And the red security light continued blinking above the mirror.
