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<\/p>\nMy pulse hammered. I tried calling Penelope. Voicemail again.<\/p>\n
By 2:15, whispers rippled through the guests. My parents appeared, strained and furious beneath their concern.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll sort this out,\u201d Dad insisted. \u201cThere has to be a reason.\u201d<\/p>\n
But in my chest, something cold was forming.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe hotel,\u201d I said suddenly. \u201cHe stayed at Millbrook Inn last night.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mom grabbed my arm. \u201cSweetheart, maybe we should wait\u2014\u201d
\n\u201cNo,\u201d I said sharply. \u201cI need to know.\u201d<\/p>\n
The drive took five minutes. It felt endless. Every possible explanation ran through my head\u2014illness, nerves, a broken phone.<\/p>\n
But deep down, the truth was already clawing its way up.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Millbrook Inn was quaint and charming. Maverick had booked the honeymoon suite, joking that he needed a preview before our Bahamas trip. I\u2019d found that adorable.<\/p>\n
Now, showing up in my wedding gown while the receptionist stared sympathetically felt like a twisted joke.<\/p>\n
\u201cRoom 237,\u201d she murmured, handing me the spare key.<\/p>\n
My family followed down the burgundy hallway. Mom cried softly. Dad\u2019s jaw was rigid. Danny kept checking his phone. Aunt Rose held my arm, steadying me.<\/p>\n
I paused at the door of 237. Something inside moved\u2014soft sounds, shifting sheets.<\/p>\n
My heart pounded so violently it drowned everything else out.<\/p>\n
Mom whispered, \u201cSweetie, maybe knock\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
But I was already unlocking the door.<\/p>\n
The room was dim. Curtains drawn. Sheets tangled. Clothes scattered everywhere.<\/p>\n
A man\u2019s suit\u2014his suit.<\/p>\n
A purple bridesmaid dress.<\/p>\n
And there they were\u2014Maverick and Penelope\u2014naked, wrapped around each other like lovers who weren\u2019t hiding anything, like people who\u2019d done this before.<\/p>\n
Her dark hair spilled over his chest. His arm held her tight, even in sleep.<\/p>\n
The sight h:it me like a punch.<\/p>\n
Air vanished from my lungs. The room spun.<\/p>\n
Behind me, Mom gasped. Dad cursed. Danny choked out something between a cry and a shout.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
But I just stared, frozen, taking in every devastating detail\u2014the champagne bottle, her jewelry scattered, the ease of their bodies together.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t a mistake. It was a betrayal that had been alive long before I walked through that door.<\/p>\n