Chapter 6: The Secret Hidden Before The Vows
The church doors remained open behind us.
The sunlight poured through them.
Beautiful.
Peaceful.
Completely opposite from what was happening inside.
I stood there in my wedding gown, surrounded by flowers and family, listening to my mother-in-law suggest that I was not the only person hiding something.
A part of me wanted to laugh.
Not because it was funny.
Because it was impossible.
I had spent months carrying a secret that made me feel alone.
And now Vanessa was trying to convince everyone that I wasn’t the only one.
Malik looked at his mother.
“What secret are you talking about?””
Vanessa didn’t answer immediately.
She looked at him carefully.
Almost like she was deciding how much damage to cause.
That hurt more than anything.
Because it meant this wasn’t an accident.
She was choosing her words.
My father noticed too.
“Don’t listen to her.””
But Malik shook his head.
“No.””
He kept his eyes on Vanessa.
“I need to know.””
Vanessa nodded slowly.
“I thought you deserved the truth.””
I almost whispered.
“The truth?””
She looked at me.
“Yes.””
My hands curled into fists.
“After everything you did, you want to talk about truth?””
Her eyes narrowed.
“You still don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
Vanessa looked around the church.
At the guests.
At the cameras.
At Malik.
Then she said:
“Before Ariana got sick, she already knew this marriage would be complicated.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
“It means she knew there were things Malik wasn’t telling you.””
Malik’s expression changed.
“What?””
Vanessa looked at him.
“You never told her?””
My stomach tightened.
I looked at Malik.
“Tell me what?””
He looked completely lost.
“Ariana, I don’t know what she’s talking about.””
Vanessa smiled slightly.
There it was again.
That expression.
The one that made me feel like she was always ten steps ahead.
“She doesn’t know.””
My father stepped forward.
“Enough games.””
Vanessa ignored him.
“She deserves to know who she’s marrying.””
Malik’s voice became angry.
“Mom, stop.””
“No.””
She looked at me.
“Because everyone thinks I’m the villain now.””
She pointed toward the folder.
“They think I’m the person who destroyed this wedding.””
Her voice rose.
“But nobody is asking why Ariana kept secrets.””
My chest tightened.
Because part of me feared the answer.
Not because I believed her.
Because I was tired of losing pieces of my life one at a time.
Malik reached for my hand.
“I love you.””
I looked at him.
His eyes were full of pain.
“I don’t care what she says.””
But Vanessa interrupted.
“Then ask her.””
The room went silent.
“Ask her what?””
Vanessa stared at me.
“Ask her why she was really afraid to tell you.””
I felt every eye turn toward me.
I could have explained.
I could have defended myself.
But something stopped me.
Because there was a small piece of truth inside Vanessa’s accusation.
I was afraid.
I was afraid because I didn’t know if love could survive reality.
I was afraid because I had seen people disappear when life became difficult.
I was afraid because cancer had already taken so much from me.
But Malik stepped closer.
“Ariana.””
His voice was gentle.
“Look at me.””
I did.
“Did you hide it because you didn’t trust me?””
The question hurt.
Because the answer mattered.
“No.””
My voice cracked.
“I hid it because I was scared of losing you.””
Malik closed his eyes.
A tear slipped down his cheek.
“You should have let me choose.””
I nodded.
“I know.””
That was the first time I admitted it.
Not to Vanessa.
Not to my father.
To him.
“I should have told you.””
The honesty changed something.
Because Malik didn’t look angry anymore.
He looked heartbroken.
But before he could answer, Vanessa spoke.
“Then maybe you understand why I made my choices.””
Everyone turned.
My father’s expression hardened.
“No.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“Yes.””
She reached into her purse.
And pulled out her phone.
My stomach dropped.
“What are you doing?””
She didn’t answer.
She tapped the screen.
Then held it out.
“I saved the message.””
Malik looked confused.
“What message?””
Vanessa stared at me.
“The one Ariana sent before she decided to hide everything.””
My heart stopped.
Because I had never sent Vanessa anything.
Not like that.
“What message?””
Vanessa pressed play.
A voice recording began.
And the first words made my blood run cold.
Because it was my voice.
But I didn’t remember saying them.
Vanessa watched my face carefully.
Malik looked from the phone to me.
My father stepped forward.
And the recording continued.
“I don’t know how long I have left…”
I stopped breathing.
Because I knew those words.
I knew that fear.
But I had never sent it to Vanessa.
Never.
The church listened as my own voice filled the room.
And then came the sentence that changed everything.
“I can’t let Malik find out the truth…”
Malik looked at me in shock.
May you like
And Vanessa whispered:
“Now tell them why you really sent that message.””
