Chapter 3: The Call Before the Wedding
The morning before my wedding was supposed to be filled with excitement.
Instead, I sat at my childhood dining table listening to my mother explain how she and Warren had been trying to save me from heartbreak.
Funny thing about heartbreak.
Nobody can save you from it.
They can only delay the moment it arrives.
The venue coordinator called five minutes after the message came in.
I put the phone on speaker.
My hand was shaking so badly that Warren reached across the table.
Not to take the phone.
Just to steady me.
The small gesture almost broke me.
Because even after everything, he was still trying to protect me.
“Hello?”” I said.
A woman answered.
“Hi, Tiana? This is Melissa from Evergreen Ridge Events.””
“Yes.””
“Thank you for calling back. I’m sorry to bother you the day before your wedding.””
I looked at Warren.
“Is there a problem?””
There was a pause.
A professional pause.
The kind people use when they’re trying to choose the least painful way to deliver bad news.
“We’re calling about the outstanding balance on your account.””
My chest tightened.
“I know about the balance.””
Another pause.
“You do?””
“Yes.””
Melissa sounded relieved.
“Okay. Good. We just wanted to confirm who would be handling payment.””
I looked at Warren.
He said nothing.
I swallowed.
“I need to understand something.””
“Of course.””
“Was my father listed as the person responsible?””
Another pause.
“Yes.””
My stomach dropped.
“And he hasn’t paid?””
“No.””
I closed my eyes.
The answer still hurt even though I already knew.
“How much is due?””
“The remaining amount is $40,000.””
The number sounded unreal.
Like something from someone else’s life.
“Melissa,” I said quietly, “if the payment isn’t made, what happens?””
Silence.
Then:
“We have to review whether the event can proceed.””
My mother covered her mouth.
I stared at the wedding samples scattered across the table.
Tomorrow.
The dress.
The guests.
The flowers.
Everything.
All of it was suddenly balanced on one missing payment.
“Can I ask you something?”” I said.
“Sure.””
“Did Derrick ever contact you?””
“Yes.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“What did he say?””
Melissa hesitated.
“He told us he was handling everything.””
My eyes moved to Warren.
“Did he sound confident?””
“Yes.””
“Like he had the money?””
“Yes.””
I felt something inside me collapse.
Because that was Derrick.
The version everyone loved.
The man with the perfect words.
The perfect smile.
The perfect promises.
But promises didn’t pay invoices.
After the call ended, nobody spoke.
Finally, my mother whispered:
“I’m sorry.””
I looked at her.
“I need you to stop saying that.””
She froze.
“Why?””
“Because I don’t know what I’m supposed to forgive.””
Her face fell.
That hurt me.
But not as much as the truth.
Warren stood and walked to the window.
“I should have told you sooner.””
I looked at him.
“Yes.””
He nodded.
“I know.””
“You let me believe everything was okay.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
He stared outside.
“Because I was afraid.””
The honesty surprised me.
“Afraid of what?””
He turned around.
“Of losing you.””
The room became quiet again.
Warren walked back to the table.
“When Derrick came back, I saw how happy you were.””
I looked down.
“He was my father.””
“I know.””
“And you hated that.””
His expression changed.
“No.””
The answer came instantly.
“I hated that you spent your whole life wondering why he left.””
I looked at him.
“I never wanted you to feel guilty for loving him.””
That was the part I wasn’t prepared for.
Because I expected anger.
Jealousy.
Bitterness.
I expected Warren to say he deserved the title of Dad.
Instead, he was telling me he never wanted to take it away from anyone.
“I just wanted you to remember,” he said softly, “that love is not proven by who shows up when everyone is watching.””
My eyes filled.
“Then why the invoice?””
He looked down.
“Because yesterday Derrick called me.””
My breath stopped.
“What?””
“He asked me to cover the balance.””
I stared.
“He asked you?””
Warren nodded.
“He said he needed more time.””
“And what did you say?””
“I said no.””
The answer shocked me.
Not because Warren refused.
Because Derrick asked.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because he said something else.””
I waited.
Warren reached into the folder again.
This time, he pulled out a printed email.
“He sent this after I refused.””
My hands trembled as I took it.
I read the first line.
And immediately felt sick.
Because it wasn’t an apology.
It wasn’t a thank you.
It wasn’t even an explanation.
It was a message about me.
About my wedding.
About what Derrick planned to tell everyone tomorrow.
I looked up.
“What does this mean?””
Warren’s face was unreadable.
“Tiana…”
“No.””
I held up the paper.
“What does this mean?””
He took a breath.
“Your father wasn’t planning to walk you down the aisle because he wanted to reconnect.””
My heart pounded.
“Then why?””
Warren looked at me.
“Because he had something he wanted from that moment.””
My phone suddenly lit up.
A new message.
From Derrick.
I stared at the screen.
Then slowly opened it.
The message had one sentence.
“Sweetheart, I need you to trust me tomorrow. There’s something important I’m going to announce during the ceremony.””
I looked at Warren.
He looked at the phone.
And for the first time in my life, I saw fear in his eyes.
Because whatever Derrick planned to announce tomorrow…
May you like
Warren already knew.
And it was something that could destroy more than just my wedding.