Chapter 4 - The Aftermath in the Ballroom
The exodus was complete within ten minutes. Out of two hundred guests, only five remained in the grand hall: Victoria, my parents, Grandma Rose, and me.
The caterers stood nervously near the kitchen doors, unsure whether to clear the untouched roast beef or wait for instructions. The silence in the room was suffocating.
Victoria turned on me like a cornered animal.
"Are you happy now?!" she screamed, her voice cracking as she tore the delicate lace veil from her hair and hurled it at my feet. "You ruined my life! You brought her here to destroy my wedding!"
"I didn't bring anything, Victoria," I said quietly, though my heart was pounding against my ribs. "I came here because Grandma asked me to. I didn't even know that file existed."
"You ruined everything!" Victoria took a menacing step toward me, but Grandma Rose stepped firmly between us, holding her wooden cane like a shield.
"Touch her, and I will hand the rest of these documents directly to the District Attorney," Rose warned, her blue eyes flashing with unyielding steel. "You have spent years stepping on your sister to build your vanity, Victoria. Today, the bill came due."
My father, who had remained quiet throughout the entire ordeal, finally found his voice. "Rose, how could you do this to our family? The Vance family holds the primary investment in my firm! This scandal could ruin us all!"
Grandma Rose looked at her son with profound disappointment. "You ruined yourself, George, the moment you traded your integrity to enable a liar. You allowed Emily to be treated like a servant in her own family so Victoria could shine. You built your house on sand."
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She turned to me, her expression softening instantly. "Come, Emily. Let's go home."
I looked back one last time at my sister, who was now kneeling on the floor among ruined rose petals, weeping in utter ruin. For years, I had wanted her acceptance. Now, looking at her, all I felt was a quiet, heavy pity.
