Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: The CCTV Plays
The staff member’s name was Daniel. He worked hotel security and had been asked to check the hallway footage because the wedding rings were insured.No one expected what he found.Olivia stepped forward.“Play it,” she said.Ryan immediately lifted his hand. “Wait. We don’t need to turn this into a show.”Emily looked at him.“You already did.”A few guests murmured.Daniel connected the tablet to a large screen near the stage, the one meant to play romantic photos during the reception. Instead of engagement pictures, the hallway CCTV appeared.The timestamp glowed in the corner.Lily stood alone, holding the velvet ring box.Then Ryan entered.The room went still.On the screen, Ryan bent down and spoke to Lily. There was no audio, but everyone could see Lily shaking her head. Ryan’s expression changed. He snatched the ring box.Lily reached for it.Ryan jerked away.Lily stumbled and fell against the flower stand.Emily felt Lily bury her face against her shoulder.Then the footage showed Ryan opening the box, taking out the rings, and slipping them into his jacket pocket.Olivia made a small broken sound.But it got worse.Ryan removed a folded paper from his jacket and placed it inside the ring box. Then he knocked over the display table, tore the ribbon, pressed it into Lily’s hand, and ran back toward the hall.The screen froze on Ryan’s face.Pale.Cornered.Exposed.Emily slowly turned to him.“Why?” she asked.Ryan said nothing.Samantha, the wedding planner, tried to slip toward the exit.But Thomas Whitmore noticed.“Stop her,” he said.Two hotel staff members blocked the door.
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