Chapter 2: The Security Footage
Amanda stepped back instinctively, pressing the silver evening purse deeper against her hip as if she could fuse it into her body. Her eyes darted wildly toward the exit, looking for a way out, but Arthur’s men had already quietly positioned themselves near the doors, blocking every possible exit.
"W-What is she talking about?" Amanda stammered, her voice cracking with panic. "She's deflecting! She's trying to frame me because she got caught!"
"Framed?" I raised an eyebrow, walking slowly toward them. The physical pain of the ripped dress and the stress of the evening seemed to vanish, replaced by a cold, burning adrenaline. "Amanda, you dropped your phone under table twelve twenty minutes ago. I picked it up and handed it back to you. While I did that, I happened to notice your screen was open to a messaging app. You were texting someone named Leo."
Amanda’s breath hitched.
"The text read," I continued, reciting it from memory, 'Ring is in the silver bag. Once she accuses Vivienne and everyone is distracted, I’ll slip it out through the kitchen.' Am I right?"
"Lies! All lies!" Amanda shrieked, tears springing to her eyes as she looked at Chloe for rescue. "Chloe, don't listen to her! She's lying to save herself!"
"Is she?"
Arthur raised a hand. Behind him, one of the security specialists tapped a few keys on a portable terminal connected to the hotel’s internal network. Within seconds, the massive projector screen descending from the ceiling—which had previously displayed a looping montage of Chloe and Dominic’s engagement photos—flickered.
The engagement photos vanished.
In their place appeared high-definition, crystal-clear CCTV footage from the ballroom security camera directly overhead.
The timestamp in the corner read 19:42:15—just ten minutes prior.
On the giant screen, two hundred guests watched in horrified fascination as the camera clearly zoomed in on Amanda standing near the dessert table. The footage showed Amanda carefully sliding Chloe’s million-dollar diamond ring out of a decorative floral centerpiece, dropping it directly into her silver evening purse, and then walking over to stand near Chloe just before the bride's dramatic scream pierced the room.
The video played on a loop, undeniable and damning.
A collective gasp swept through the ballroom. Whispers erupted into open murmurs of shock and disgust. People began backing away from Amanda as if she carried a plague.
Chloe spun around to face her cousin, her face contorted in absolute rage. "Amanda! You stole my ring? You planted it to frame her?!"
"I—I needed the money, Chloe! You don't understand, my debts—" Amanda burst into loud, hysterical sobs, realizing the game was entirely up. She dropped the silver purse onto the floor, where it spilled open, revealing the massive diamond ring glinting under the harsh light of the projector.
Eleanor clutched her chest, staggering backward until she bumped into a waiter carrying a tray of champagne. Glasses shattered against the floor, but nobody cared.
Dominic stood frozen, staring at the screen, then at Amanda, and finally, slowly, back at me. His mouth opened, but no words came out. The realization of what he had allowed his family to do to his pregnant wife—while she stood silently taking the abuse—hit him like a physical blow.
"Vivienne..." Dominic whispered, taking a hesitant step forward, his hand outstretched. "I... I didn't know. They set you up. You have to understand, I thought..."
"You thought I was guilty," I finished for him, my voice devoid of any warmth. "You thought it was entirely normal for your mother to rip my clothes off in front of two hundred people. You thought it was fine to let your sister treat me like trash for three years because, in your eyes, I was never truly part of your world anyway."
"No, that's not—"
"Arthur," I said, ignoring Dominic completely.
"Yes, Ms. Vance?" Arthur stepped forward immediately.
"Have the police take Ms. Davis into custody for grand larceny and conspiracy," I instructed, my tone absolute. "And make sure the hotel files a formal trespassing charge."
"Right away." Two of Arthur's security guards stepped forward, ignoring Amanda’s shrieks as they handcuffed her and led her out of the ballroom.
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I turned back to look at the remaining members of the Davis family. Eleanor looked like she was about to faint, leaning heavily against a pillar for support. Chloe was staring at me with a mixture of terror and incomprehension, her wedding day completely and utterly ruined.
"As for the rest of you," I said, looking around the room at the stunned guests before letting my gaze settle on my soon-to-be ex-husband. "The reception is over."
