Chapter 5 - The Wedding Cancelled
Chaos broke out across the Ritz-Carlton ballroom.
The general manager of the hotel stepped through the security line, accompanied by two hotel guards. He walked directly up to Richard Campbell, holding a digital tablet and a formal notice.
"Mr. Campbell," the manager announced loudly enough for the surrounding tables to hear, "the credit card on file for this reception was declined five minutes ago. Furthermore, Vance Capital holds the primary deed to this property. Under the direction of Mr. Nathan Vance, this event is terminated immediately."
"You can't do this!" Allison screamed, tears finally ruining her bridal makeup as she grabbed her father's arm. "Dad! Do something! Tell them to leave! It's my wedding day!"
"Shut up, Allison!" Richard yelled back, his voice crackling with sheer panic as sweat poured down his neck. He turned to Nathan, dropping to his knees on the marble floor right in front of his ruined microphone.
"Nathan... please! Mr. Vance!" Richard begged, clutching his hands together. "Meredith is my daughter! We are family! This is all a misunderstanding! Allison was just joking with her sister!"
"Joking?" Nathan repeated softly. He stepped closer to Richard, looking down at the kneeling man with absolute disgust. "You allowed your daughter to pour wine on my wife's dress. You laughed into a microphone while your eldest child was mocked by three hundred strangers."
May you like
Nathan reached into his tuxedo jacket and pulled out a clean, crisp white linen handkerchief. Gently, he dabbed a drop of red wine from Meredith’s wrist before tossing the linen onto Richard’s lap.
"You are not her family," Nathan declared coldly. "You are merely her debtors."
