"What nonsense are you talking about? What do you mean they've left?" Mr. Valtor snapped angrily, glaring furiously at Mr. Green, who stood awkwardly in front of him.
"H...he said he'll be back, Sir. We just need to calm down and wait for them," Mr. Green stammered as he struggled to find the right words.
"Rubbish, Green! Can you hear yourself speak? Get me the wedding planner immediately!" Mr. Valtor barked, his frustration evident in every word. "And call that insensible boss of yours. Tell him to return here immediately if he knows what's good for him!"
With that, he stormed off.…
As he turned the corner, he nearly collided with his wife, who looked equally distraught, her phone clutched tightly in her trembling hands.
"Good, you're here," Mr. Valtor said sharply. "What did he say? Did you tell him to be back here within the next ten minutes?" he demanded.
Mrs. Julia shook her head, her face pale as she nervously rubbed the phone between her fingers. "I couldn't reach them, Valtor. Their phones aren't going through," she said, her voice tinged with worry.
"Gracious Lord," Mr. Valtor muttered, throwing his hands in the air. "What kind of madness is this? Mr. Erik and his friends are over there waiting to take pictures with them and everyone. What do I tell them, Julia?" He leaned closer, lowering his voice to avoid being overheard.
"I'll try calling them again. Maybe we can move to the reception and take the photos there first," Mrs. Julia said.
"Have you and your son ever been to a wedding before?" Mr. Valtor asked, looking at his wife with amazement in his eyes.
"Well, I have countless times, but I'm not sure about him" Mrs. Julia replied.
"You wouldn't stand here and say what you just said!" Mr. Valtor snapped.
"I was just trying to make a suggestion!" Mrs. Julia spoke.
"Woman! Move before you add to my anger and make sure you get that son of yours to come back," Mr. Valtor barked and with that, he walked out...
….….
Hitting the brakes hard, the car roared as it surged forward, its engine growling at its highest speed. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, his face locked in a cold, unmoving expression as he stared straight ahead.
Kristen looked up and her heart sank at the reckless speed. The car's acceleration sent a wave of terror through her and her pulse quickened.
"Mmm," she let out a faint, panicked noise as her eyes darted frantically from side to side. The world outside blurred into a chaotic swirl and everything moved too fast to focus. She sat upright, her body tense as she reached out toward the front seat for balance.
"S-Sir… Mr. Anderson!" she cried, her voice trembling. "Slow down, please! You're going to kill us!" She leaned forward and gripped the edge of the seat.
Max didn't respond. His foot pressed harder on the gas, his jaw tightening as his unwavering gaze remained fixed on the road ahead.
"P...P...Please!" Kristen stammered, her voice breaking as panic consumed her. "I can explain! Just slow down, I'm begging you!" Her breath caught in her throat as tears welled up in her eyes.
Her trembling gaze shifted to the rearview mirror, where she saw her reflection....her wide-eyed soaked in tears.
The car jerked violently as it swerved through a curve, and Kristen clutched the seat tighter as her body shook.
"Please, listen to me!" she sobbed, her voice barely audible over the roaring engine and her own thundering heartbeat.
Before she knew it, the car screeched to a sudden halt at the edge of a steep mountain. The vast ocean glimmered ominously below. Kristen's heart pounded in her chest as she slowly lifted her head and blinked open her tear-filled eyes.
When she realized where they had stopped, her breath seized and her eyes widened in pure dread. Without wasting a second, she fumbled with the car door, threw it open and bolted down the empty road, her heels clacking sharply against the pavement.
Max sat motionless for a brief moment as he watched her through the side mirror. His gaze was dark, his expression unreadable, but his eyes burned with something raw and unforgiving. With a deadly calm, he opened his door and stepped out.
"Hey!" he called out, his voice sharp as he began to chase after her. Kristen's dress billowed behind her as she pushed forward, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She clutched the fabric of her gown, trying to quicken her pace, but the heavy material dragged her down.
Max quickly closed the distance, his longer strides giving him the advantage. Before she could get far, his hand grabbed her arm and yanked her back with such force that she stumbled into his chest.
"Where do you think you're going?" he demanded, his voice low and sharp.
Kristen's breath hitched as she looked up, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Their eyes locked and his dark gaze burned with anger and something deeper, something terrifying and untamed.
Kristen's own eyes were filled with sorrow, glistening with unshed tears. One tear broke free and slid down her cheek, trembling on the edge before it fell.
Max's grip on her arm tightened and his jaw clenched.
"Please, don't hurt me," Kristen pleaded as she tightly closed her eyes.
…......
"Why is everyone moving around like that at my wedding?" Lena muttered, watching the chaos unfold from inside her car. Her fingers drummed nervously on the steering wheel, and her eyes darted toward the entrance of the venue.
"Oh no… has he found out it wasn't me? Does everyone know now?" she gasped as her heart pounded. "I need to come up with something real, fast."
She glanced at the time on her phone. The after-party is at 3. "I need to find Kristen before then," she whispered with a her voice shaky.
…....….
"What did you say again? There was a change in the order at the last minute?" Mr. Erik asked as he stood with a few of his friends.
"Yes, sir. The couple will be at the other reception where the photos and the rest of the event will take place," the staff member replied.
Mr. Arison chuckled and nudged Erik lightly. "Maybe they just wanted to keep you on your toes, Erik. Isn't that what weddings are all about? Last-minute drama?"
Another one of Erik's friends chimed in with a laugh. "Seriously, Erik. If there's no chaos, can it even be called a wedding? Relax, you're managing like an expert."
The group burst into laughter, easing some of the tension. Just then, Mr. Green stepped forward with a polite yet firm tone and said, "Sir, please. The car is ready to take you to the other reception."
…........
Kristen sat back in her seat, her hair messy and her face pale, her trembling hands clutching her dress. "Why are we here, Sir?" she asked softly, her voice barely audible over the hum of the car engine.
The car rolled to a stop at the grand entrance of Max's mansion. The iron gates creaked open and the vehicle eased inside. Kristen glanced nervously around, her heart racing.
Lena had arrived moments earlier. Her car stopped just outside the gates. "Who is that?" she muttered to herself as she quietly stepped out, her heels clicking softly on the pavement. She moved cautiously and maintaining some distance, she peeked inside. Her eyes narrowed when she spotted Max and Kristen.
Inside the grounds, Max stepped out of the car briskly, his face drained. He marched to Kristen's side, yanked her door open with urgency, and grabbed her arm with such force that she nearly stumbled to her knees.
"Get up," he ordered coldly as he pulled her out of the car.
Kristen gasped, her legs barely steady beneath her as she tried to regain her balance. Her heart pounded with fear as Max dragged her toward the mansion's entrance.
From her hiding spot, Lena's eyes widened at the sight. She gasped, covering her mouth with a trembling hand. "No… no… no…" she muttered under her breath. "My life can't be ruined like this... I need to come up with something."
Kristen, now at the entrance, fell to her knees and grabbed Max's arm tightly. Tears streamed down her face as she pleaded, "Please, Sir, I can explain. Just listen to me…"
But Max didn't respond. His grip remained firm as he pulled her inside. Kristen struggled to keep up, her shoes slipping on the polished floor.
Inside the mansion, Max finally released Kristen, tossing her forward onto the cold marble floor. She hit the ground with a soft cry, her hands bracing the fall.
"Stay there," he said curtly. His piercing gaze burned into her before he turned away.
Max towered over Kristen, his eyes blazed with fury as he leaned down and gripped her arm tightly to make her sit upright "Who sent you?" he demanded
Kristen tried to speak, her lips trembling as she stammered, "N-no one... I swear....."
"Who are you!" Max roared, cutting her off. Before she could say anything else, his hand shot to her throat and pressed against it just enough to make her gasp for air. Her hands flew to his wrist, clawing at it as she struggled to breathe.
"Tell me!" he growled, his face inches from hers, his grip tightening as tears streamed down Kristen's cheeks. "Why were you there? Who sent you here?"
"Please," Kristen gasped, her voice barely a whisper. "You're... hurting me..."
Max's grip loosened slightly, but the wildness in his eyes didn't fade. With a frustrated growl, he shoved her backward, her head narrowly missing the edge of the table behind her. Kristen coughed harshly and clutched at her throat as she fought to breathe.
Max paced in front of her like a predator, running his hand through his hair as he breathed heavily "Do you think this is a game?" he hissed. Without warning, he grabbed a vase from the nearby table and hurled it against the wall. The deafening crash of shattering glass echoed through the room, making Kristen flinch.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she scrambled backward, pressing herself against the wall. "I-I don't know what you're talking about," she whispered, her voice hoarse from fear.
Max stopped, his dark eyes narrowing as he turned back to her. He crouched down again, his face now just inches from hers. "You're lying," he hissed.
Kristen shook her head, her body trembling as tears streaked down her face. "I'm not! Please, I—"
Before she could finish, Max slammed his fist into the wall beside her. "Do you have any idea what you've done?" he snarled, his voice trembling with barely contained rage.
Kristen, too terrified to speak, froze, unable to move. Max stood up abruptly, his eyes never leaving her. He grabbed the edge of the table and flipped it over with a force that sent everything crashing to the floor.
"Stay here," he growled, pointing at her. "You're not going anywhere until you tell me the truth."
Kristen gasped for air, her voice trembling as she stammered, "I... I didn't mean to... I swear, I—" Tears continued to streak down her cheeks, her hands shaking. Her eyes briefly met Max's piercing gaze that seemed to cut right through her. "It was..."
Before she could say more, the door burst open, and Lena stumbled in. Her hair was a tangled mess, and her dress was disheveled, as though she had run through a storm. "Max!" she cried out, her voice frantic as she rushed toward him.
Max turned sharply, his jaw tightening at the sight of Lena as she ran to hug him tightly.
"She's not who you think she is, Max," Lena said. "She wants my life...my place. She's been after you and everything that belongs to me! She's dangerous" Her hands trembled as she pointed at Kristen, her voice breaking.
Kristen's eyes widened in disbelief, her lips parted as if to protest, but no words came out. She stared at Lena, stunned by the blatant lie.
"What are you talking about?" Max asked, his tone hard as he turned to Kristen, his gaze searching her face for answers.
"I... I don't know what she's talking about..she asked me to..." Kristen stammered, her voice barely audible.
Lena stepped closer to Max and cut her off, clutching his arm as tears streamed down her face. "I've called the police," she said, her voice shaky. "They're on their way to arrest her. We need to leave NOW. Back to the wedding, Max. Please...I will explain everything later"