Chapter 5 - The Hostage at the Altar
I stood frozen in the middle of the extravagant ballroom, entirely paralyzed by terror.
Julian had my newborn daughter, and he was completely willing to murder her.
The classical string quartet began to play the traditional wedding march.
The heavy mahogany doors opened, and Lauren walked down the aisle in a stunning white gown.
She looked the picture of radiant perfection, completely hiding her fake pregnancy bump.
Ryan stood at the altar, looking incredibly smug and oblivious to the war raging around him.
He caught my eye and smirked, thinking I was simply mourning my lost marriage.
I slowly walked toward the front row, keeping my eyes entirely locked on Julian.
I had to get close enough to protect my baby without triggering his violent reaction.
Marcus whispered frantically through my earpiece, asking for my current status.
I quietly murmured that Julian had the baby and was heavily armed.
Marcus swore loudly and said he was moving in to physically breach the building.
The oblivious officiant began reading the traditional vows of love and loyalty.
I looked at the wealthy, powerful men sitting in the VIP section of the audience.
They were the syndicate bosses, waiting patiently for Ryan to finalize the fraudulent merger.
They had absolutely no idea that Lauren and Julian were planning to steal the entire fortune today.
The officiant finally reached the most critical moment of the ceremony.
He asked if anyone present had any reason why this couple should not be joined in holy matrimony.
I took a deep breath, preparing to risk everything to save my child.
Before I could even open my mouth, a deafening alarm echoed through the entire estate.
The heavy ballroom doors slammed shut and locked automatically with a loud, metallic clank.
A dozen armed men wearing black tactical gear repelled from the skylights above.
They landed gracefully among the terrified guests and immediately raised automatic rifles.
The guests screamed in pure horror as absolute chaos erupted in the room.
The leader of the armed men stepped forward and fired a single shot into the ceiling.
He demanded absolute silence and ordered everyone to drop to the floor.
Ryan cowered behind the altar, completely terrified by the sudden invasion.
The leader pointed his rifle directly at Ryan's head.
He announced that the wedding was officially canceled because Ryan had failed to pay his massive debts.
He demanded the immediate transfer of the fifty million dollars Ryan had promised the cartel.
Lauren suddenly started laughing hysterically from the center of the altar.
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She reached into the folds of her massive wedding dress and pulled out a gold-plated revolver.
She aimed the gun directly at Ryan's chest and smiled a truly demonic smile.
