Chapter 3: What the Paper Said
The hallway had gone so quiet that Elena could hear the candles flickering in the reception room at the far end of the corridor.
David read the paper a second time.
His jaw tightened.
"Where did you get this?"
"Her bag," Elena said.
"I went to find a safety pin for Lily's dress.
The bag was open on the vanity chair.
The paper was folded on top of the key."
David looked up.
"You weren't snooping."
"I wasn't snooping."
He turned toward his bride.
His voice had changed — flatter now, the warmth completely gone.
"Nicole.
Explain this."
Nicole crossed her arms.
"It's nothing.
It's old.
It doesn't mean what you think it means."
"It's a paternity test," David said.
"With my name on it."
The word landed in the hallway like something dropped from a great height.
Two of the bridesmaids near the door took a small step back.
Nicole's chin came up.
"That test is two years old.
I was confused.
I was scared.
I handled it privately and I moved on."
"You handled it," David repeated.
"The test says there's a 99.97 percent probability that I am not the father of your son."
"Marcus is yours—"
"Nicole."
"He is yours, David.
That test was done at a bad lab.
I had it redone.
The second test—"
"Where is the second test?"
Silence.
Lily pressed her face against Elena's side.
Elena kept one hand on her daughter's hair and did not look away from David.
"She came to me three weeks ago," Elena said quietly.
"Before the engagement.
She told me if I said anything to you — anything at all — she would make sure Lily never saw you again."
David's head turned slowly toward her.
"She threatened you."
"She said she had a friend at family services.
She said one phone call and Lily would be removed from my home pending an investigation." Elena's voice stayed level.
"I have no family here, David.
I couldn't risk it."
Nicole laughed — a short, sharp sound.
"Oh, that is a beautiful story.
She is your ex-wife.
Of course she's trying to destroy this."
"My ex-wife," David said, "was locked in a closet."
"She was hysterical.
She was making a scene in front of our guests—"
"She was locked in a closet with a key you were carrying in your purse."
Nicole looked around the hallway.
Her eyes moved from face to face — the bridesmaids, the guests pressed near the doorway, David's mother standing very still at the back.
She found no allies.
Her voice dropped.
"David.
Can we please do this privately.
Whatever you think this looks like — I love you.
Marcus loves you.
We can talk about this like adults."
David folded the paper carefully and placed it in his jacket pocket.
"Marcus," he said.
"Where is he right now?"
"He's with my mother.
At the hotel."
"How old is he?"
Nicole's eyes filled.
"David—"
"How old is he, Nicole."
"He's four."
David nodded once.
He looked at the paper in his pocket.
He looked at Elena.
He looked at his best man, still standing near the back wall, still not meeting anyone's eyes.
May you like
"Ryan," David said.
"How long have you known?"
