Chapter 4 - The Eviction Notice
Murmurs of disgust rippled through the crowd.
Guests were shaking their heads.
Some were already putting on their coats.
Nobody wanted to be associated with this level of toxicity.
Dominic stared at his sister, horrified.
"Chloe... tell me she's lying," he demanded.
Chloe burst into tears, her perfect makeup running down her face.
"I just wanted her gone, Dom!"
"She doesn't fit in with us! She's cheap!"
My father chuckled.
It was a dark, humorless sound.
"Cheap?"
He looked around the lavish ballroom.
"My daughter's casual shoes cost more than this entire wedding reception."
He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped a speck of dust from his watch.
"Mr. Davis," my father said, addressing the venue manager.
"Yes, Mr. Sterling?"
"Cancel the catering."
"Cut the music."
"And turn on the harsh lights."
Suddenly, the romantic, dim lighting vanished.
Bright, unforgiving fluorescent lights flooded the ballroom.
The illusion of the perfect wedding was shattered.
"What are you doing?!" Eleanor shrieked.
"We paid for this room until midnight!"
My father pulled out a sleek black phone.
"You paid a deposit."
"A deposit which I am refunding right now."
He tapped a button.
"There. Check your bank account, Eleanor."
"Your contract is officially terminated."
He looked at his security detail.
"Clear the room."
"Everyone has five minutes to exit my property."
"If the bride and her mother are still here in six minutes..."
"Arrest them for trespassing and orchestrating a fake robbery."
Panic erupted.
Guests scrambled for the exits.
Photographers packed their gear at lightning speed.
The beautiful, multi-tiered wedding cake sat abandoned.
Chloe dropped to her knees in her heavy gown, sobbing hysterically.
Her new husband looked at her with pure disgust.
He took off his boutonniere, threw it on the floor, and walked out without a word.
Eleanor tried to argue with a towering security guard.
He simply pointed toward the door.
They were being kicked out of their own society wedding.
May you like
Humiliated in front of everyone they tried to impress.
And I stood there, watching the empire they thought they controlled crumble to dust.
