A horrifying silence descended over the wedding venue. The ambient breeze blew through the white gazebo, making the ribbons on the chairs rustle softly. The guests sat in stunned shock, nobody daring to make a sound.
Hannah: "Dad... is this true? Tell me he's making this up!"
Arthur: "It's business, Hannah! David was millions of dollars in debt to my investment group! He owed me!"
Hannah: "He was your son-in-law! He was the father of your grandchild!"
Arthur: "He was an incompetent leech who took my youngest daughter away from Dallas to live in some filthy suburb! He deserved what he got!"
Hannah covered her mouth, letting out a heart-wrenching sob that shook her entire frame. Mark held her tight, his hand supporting her torn gown to keep her covered.
Mark: "You monster... You killed my brother for a two-million-dollar payout?"
Chloe: "Mark, it wasn't just two million! David had a secret patent! His software company was valued at thirty million dollars!"
Mark: "And you knew about this, Chloe? You knew your father killed my brother?!"
Chloe: "I didn't know he cut the brakes! I swear I didn't know that part!"
Mark: "I had no idea they would go this far!"
Chloe: "I just thought we were taking the patent rights back! David stole that idea from my father's firm three years ago!"
Hannah: "He didn't steal anything! David built that coding framework in our garage while working eighty hours a week!"
Chloe: "Shut up, Hannah! You always take his side! You always played the sweet little angel while Dad gave me the leftover crumbs!"
Mark: "Leftover crumbs?! Your father bought you a penthouse in downtown Dallas and a brand new Mercedes last month!"
Chloe: "Because I earned it! I helped him set up the shell companies! I did the paperwork while Hannah was out playing house with a broke developer!"
Arthur: "Chloe, stop talking! You are giving him evidence!"
Chloe: "It doesn't matter, Dad! Mark loves me! He's not going to betray his own wife!"
Mark stood up slowly, stepping away from Chloe as if she carried a deadly disease. He took off his wedding boutonnière, throwing the white rose onto the grass at her feet.
Mark: "I am not your husband, Chloe. And I will never be."
Chloe: "Mark! No! We have a contract! The marriage license is already signed!"
Mark: "It hasn't been submitted to the county clerk yet. I'm tearing it up."
Arthur: "You tear up that license, Mark, and I will ensure you never work as a financial officer in Texas again!"
Mark: "You won't be in a position to ruin anyone's career, Arthur. Look at the entrance gates."
Three black SUVs pulled into the venue's gravel driveway, their tires crunching loudly against the stones. Federal agents dressed in dark blue jackets with 'FBI' emblazoned across the back stepped out, moving with quick, precise urgency toward the gazebo lawn.
Arthur: "What... what is this?"
Mark: "I didn't just call the insurance adjuster this morning, Arthur. I called the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas."