The distant wail of police sirens and ambulance horns grew louder outside the grand estate gates. Within minutes, two uniformed Texas state troopers and three paramedics rushed into the ballroom carrying medical gear.
Officer Miller: State Police! Everyone step back and clear a path for emergency personnel!
Eleanor: Officer! Thank goodness you're here! That woman in the white dress just viciously attacked my son!
Officer Miller: Ma'am, calm down. Who called 911?
Victoria: I did, Officer. And so did several guests in this room.
Officer Miller: What happened here?
Victoria: My fiancé, Chad Montgomery, intentionally shoved my seventy-two-year-old mother off her chair onto the marble floor. She is currently being treated by nurses for a potential hip injury.
Chad: She's lying! The old lady slipped! I tried to catch her and then Victoria went crazy and kicked me!
Guest 4: That is a complete lie, Officer! Look at this video on my phone!
The guest stepped forward, holding out a smartphone screen to Officer Miller. The officer watched intently as the footage clearly showed Chad yelling at Margaret, cold-heartedly pushing her to the floor, and saying, "Trash belongs on the ground."
Officer Miller: Well, Mr. Montgomery, the video doesn't lie.
Chad: Officer, do you know who my father is?! He owns Montgomery Real Estate Group!
Officer Miller: I don't care if your father owns the state of Texas, son. You just committed injury to the elderly, which is a third-degree felony in this state.
Chad: What?! A felony?!
Officer Miller: Officer Davis, cuff him and get him checked by the medics outside before taking him to the county jail.
Chad: Mom! Do something! Don't let them cuff me in front of everyone!
Eleanor: You can't arrest him! This is our private property!
Officer Miller: Ma'am, if you interfere with a police officer, I will arrest you for obstruction right now.
Eleanor gasped, taking a quick step back as steel handcuffs clicked around Chad's wrists. The proud, arrogant groom was hauled to his feet, covered in frosting, cake crumbs, and dirt, his black tuxedo ruined as he was led out through the double doors in front of all his wealthy associates.
Paramedic John: We've got the mother stabilized on the gurney, ma'am. Her vital signs are stable, but we need to take her to Dallas General for X-rays on her hip.
Victoria: I'm coming with you in the ambulance.
Paramedic John: Hop right in, ma'am. You did a good job protecting her.
Victoria looked around the lavish ballroom one last time. She reached up to her head, pulled off the expensive diamond veil, and tossed it unceremoniously onto the cake-stained floor beside Chad's abandoned ring box.
Victoria: Keep the wedding deposit, Eleanor. You're going to need it for his bail.