Ethan turned toward the exit, but Chloe's mother blocked his path, her eyes flashing with pure rage as she pointed a manicured finger at his chest.
Chloe's Mother: If you walk out that door right now, Ethan, I will make sure my family's legal team destroys you in court!
Ethan: Destroys me? On what grounds, Mrs. Vance?
Chloe's Mother: You signed a prenuptial agreement with a breach clause! If you call off this wedding without cause, you owe our family three million dollars in damages!
Ethan: Locking a child in a room is cause for immediate cancellation of any contract, legal or personal.
Chloe: You don't have proof I locked her in there! It's your word against mine! I'll tell the court she stepped inside by accident and the door clicked shut!
Ethan: You really think I don't have proof, Chloe?
Ethan pulled his smartphone out from his tuxedo jacket pocket, tapping the screen to bring up a security application connected to his home and personal network.
Ethan: My personal nanny cam app was active on my phone because Lily was wearing a safety tracker watch with a live audio feed. It recorded every single word you said to her in that corridor.
Chloe's face drained of every ounce of color. She staggered back against a white chair, clutching her veil in horror.
Chloe: Audio... feed?
Ethan: I have you on tape telling her she wasn't family anymore. I have you telling her to stay in the closet until the reception was over so she wouldn't ruin your dress.
Chloe's Father: Chloe... tell me he's lying. Tell me you didn't say those things to a motherless child!
Chloe: Dad, please! I was nervous! I wanted everything to be perfect for the photographs!
Chloe's Father: You embarrassed our family name! You abused a child on national business partner eyes!
Ethan: Not only am I canceling this wedding, Mrs. Vance, but my divorce lawyer is filing a restraining order against your daughter before the sun goes down today.
Chloe's Mother: Restraining order?! You wouldn't dare!
Ethan: If Chloe comes within five hundred feet of my daughter or my home, she will be arrested on the spot.
Chloe: Ethan, please! We can go to counseling! I'll apologize to Lily! I'll buy her anything she wants!
Lily: I don't want your toys! I just want to go home with my daddy!
Ethan: You heard her, Chloe. We are going home.
Ethan walked past Chloe's mother, stepping through the white arches of the ballroom while guests moved out of his way in respectful silence. Some of the older women in the audience wiped tears from their eyes, glaring at Chloe as she stood alone near the alter.