Ethan paused, looking between his furious bride and the weeping maid on the polished floor. The surrounding guests whispered among themselves as family members began to gather near the framed artwork hanging on the ballroom wall. Ethan's father, a prominent businessman who managed the family trust fund and vast real estate holdings, stepped forward with a grave expression. He had always harbored quiet doubts about Victoria's sudden appearance in Ethan's life, especially after learning about her hidden past debts and quick push for a prenuptial agreement that favored her private accounts.
Clara unlocked her smartphone with shaking thumbprints and brought up a video file stored in a hidden folder. She held the screen directly toward Ethan, ensuring the camera angle was clear enough for him to see every detail. The room fell into a heavy silence as Ethan stared down at the bright display, his face growing paler with every passing second.
Ethan: What am I looking at, Clara? Where did you get this recording?
Clara: I took it in the kitchen yesterday afternoon when everyone was busy with the rehearsal dinner.
The high-definition video showed a close-up of Victoria standing near the catering table, holding a small clear glass bottle with a clear liquid inside. The video captured her carefully unscrewing the cap and pouring several drops directly into a vintage champagne flute reserved specifically for the groom's toast. Victoria watched the liquid dissolve before setting the bottle back inside her luxury leather handbag. On the audio track, Victoria could be heard whispering to her private lawyer about life insurance payouts and full control of the estate.
Ethan felt his stomach drop as the reality of the situation hit him like a physical blow. He remembered feeling unusually dizzy after drinking from that exact glass during the rehearsal dinner the previous evening. He had brushed it off as simple wedding stress and fatigue, but now the truth was staring him directly in the face. His bride had been plotting his demise to inherit his family inheritance before the wedding papers were even fully finalized.
Ethan: You tried to poison me?! You put something in my drink yesterday!
Victoria: Ethan, no! That video is fake! She edited it to destroy us because I scolded her earlier!
Clara: It is not fake, Mr. Vance. The original glass is still locked in the kitchen safe where I stored it for the police.