Chapter 2: The Secret Beneath the Flowers
Marcus couldn’t hear the whispers anymore.
Not clearly.
They blended together into one strange, distant sound.
The only thing he could focus on was the marriage record in his hand.
The official seal.
The date.
The name.
Brielle Carter.
His future wife.
Already someone’s wife.
“No,” Marcus whispered.
Brielle stepped closer.
“Marcus, please.””
He looked at her.
The woman he had planned to stand beside for the rest of his life.
The woman whose hand he had held while choosing flowers.
The woman who cried when they picked their wedding song.
The woman who had looked him in the eyes and said she had never been married.
“Tell me this isn’t real.””
Brielle opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
That silence hurt him more than the paper.
Evelyn watched her son’s expression fall apart.
She hated being right.
She wished she had been wrong.
“Marcus,” Evelyn said softly, “I didn’t want to tell you this today.””
He looked at her.
“Then why did you come?””
“Because I called you three times last night.””
Marcus froze.
“I never got those calls.””
Brielle looked away.
Evelyn noticed.
“I know.””
Marcus turned sharply.
“What does that mean?””
Brielle stepped between them.
“Your mother is trying to make you suspicious.””
“No,” Marcus said.
“Answer the question.””
His voice was louder now.
The guests became completely silent.
Brielle looked around.
The crowd.
The flowers.
The cameras.
The perfect wedding she had imagined.
Then she looked back at Marcus.
“You’re really going to do this here?””
Marcus stared at her.
“You did this here.””
The words landed harder than he expected.
Brielle’s eyes flashed.
“You’re embarrassing me.””
Evelyn let out a quiet breath.
“Your concern is embarrassment?””
Brielle turned toward her.
“You don’t get to judge me.””
“I’m not judging you.””
Evelyn pointed toward the document.
“That paper is judging you.””
A few guests looked down, uncomfortable.
Marcus walked away from them and toward the marriage table.
The untouched flowers.
The rings.
The vows printed neatly on cards.
Everything that had represented his future suddenly looked like a lie.
He picked up the ring box.
His hands were shaking.
“Marcus,” Brielle said, softer now, “please listen.””
He turned around.
“Then explain.””
She hesitated.
That hesitation answered something.
“You said you were never married.””
“I wasn’t.””
Marcus stared.
“You literally have a marriage record.””
Brielle looked at Evelyn.
Then back at Marcus.
“It’s complicated.””
Evelyn gave a sad smile.
“That’s what people say when the truth is worse.””
Brielle’s face hardened.
“You don’t know anything about my life.””
“I know enough.””
“Really?””
“Yes.””
The two women stared at each other.
Marcus looked between them.
“What happened?””
Evelyn didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, she walked to one of the wooden decorative crates beside the flower arch.
From inside her handbag, she removed another document.
This time, she didn’t hand it to Marcus.
She held it.
“I found this two weeks ago.””
Brielle went pale again.
Marcus noticed.
“What is it?””
Evelyn looked at him.
“The reason I knew you couldn’t marry her without knowing the truth.””
Brielle’s voice became sharp.
“Stop.””
Evelyn ignored her.
Marcus stepped closer.
“Mom.””
Before Evelyn could respond, Brielle moved quickly and grabbed the paper from her hand.
For a moment, everyone froze.
The bride holding evidence against herself.
The groom watching.
The mother standing soaked and silent.
Brielle looked at the page.
Her breathing changed.
Then she folded it.
Slowly.
Too slowly.
Marcus saw it.
“What was that?””
“Nothing.””
“Brielle.””
“It was old.””
“Old what?””
She looked at him.
“A mistake.””
The word hung in the air.
Marcus laughed once.
Not because it was funny.
Because he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“A mistake?””
Brielle’s eyes filled with frustration.
“You don’t understand.””
“Then help me understand.””
She looked away.
The guests watched every movement.
Evelyn lowered her voice.
“Marcus, ask her where he is.””
Brielle immediately looked at her.
“Don’t.””
Marcus turned.
“Where who is?””
No answer.
The wind moved through the flowers above them.
A child somewhere in the crowd asked his mother why everyone was quiet.
Marcus looked at Brielle.
“Who is he?””
Brielle’s face tightened.
“You don’t need to know.””
Marcus stepped back.
The sentence hurt.
Because it wasn’t a denial.
Evelyn looked across the lawn.
At the guests.
At the people seated under the canopy.
Then her eyes stopped on something.
Someone.
Her expression changed slightly.
Marcus noticed.
“Mom?””
Evelyn didn’t answer.
“Mom, what is it?””
She stared toward the crowd.
“I didn’t know he would come.””
Brielle turned instantly.
Her entire body went still.
Marcus followed their eyes.
But before he could see who Evelyn was looking at…
A phone rang.
Everyone looked around.
The sound came from somewhere near the guests.
Brielle’s face drained of color.
Marcus whispered:
“Whose phone is that?””
May you like
The ringing continued.
And Brielle knew exactly who was calling.
