Chapter 13

A wave of stunned silence swept through the guests as the casket came into view. What they first dismissed as a prank by some business competitor was revealed to be horrifyingly real by Terrence's unmistakable anguish. The casket held none other than Thea, the bride who should have been walking down the aisle. The initial confusion about her absence, coupled with that damning video, suddenly formed a terrible clarity. Thea had known about Terrence's affair from the beginning. She had arranged for the video to play, and after her suicide, she ensured her casket was sent to the wedding. A somber murmur of grief swept through the crowd. No one had expected Terrence, who had always seemed so deeply in love in public, would ever betray Thea. The news struck them like a heavy blow, not to mention Thea, who had been living in a sweet deception. No one could blame her for ending her life after learning the truth. The pain was too much to bear. Still, it was a terrible loss—a young life c