He Knew His Father Was With the Bride

Chapter 1: Not Yet

"Your father is in there... with your bride!"

Eleanor's voice broke as she grabbed her son's collar.

Behind the heavy wooden door, a woman in a wedding dress stood with an older man. Their voices were low, but Eleanor had heard enough.

The bride was crying.

The groom's father was threatening her.

And her son, Adrian, did not look surprised.

"I know," he said.

Eleanor stared at him.

The wedding was less than an hour away. Hundreds of guests were already gathering downstairs. The church flowers had arrived. Reporters waited outside the estate. Everything had been planned to present Adrian Vale and Isabella Hart as the perfect couple.

But nothing about the scene behind that door was perfect.

"Then stop this wedding right now!" Eleanor cried.

Adrian's expression remained cold.

"Not yet."

A faint smile touched his lips.

Eleanor released him as though she had been burned.

"What are you doing?"

Adrian looked toward the door.

"Finishing what he started."

Before Eleanor could ask what that meant, the door opened.

Adrian's father, Richard Vale, stepped into the corridor. His face was calm, but the bride behind him looked terrified. Isabella's veil was crooked, and one side of her face was red.

Eleanor gasped.

Richard adjusted his cuff.

"Your bride became emotional," he said.

Adrian walked past him and entered the room.

Isabella looked at him desperately.

"Adrian, please. We need to leave."

He closed the door behind him.

Then he pulled a small recording device from his pocket.

"Did he confess?"

Isabella nodded through tears.

"Everything."

Adrian's smile disappeared.

"Good."

Outside, Richard turned toward Eleanor.

"You raised a clever son," he said quietly.

Then footsteps thundered at the far end of the corridor.

Men in black suits appeared.

And Richard whispered,

"But not clever enough."