Chapter 2 - The Entrance
The wedding was held at the grandest cathedral in Charleston, an architectural masterpiece of stained glass, white marble, and echoing, cavernous acoustics. It was a venue designed to make people feel small, which was precisely why Vivian Prescott had chosen it.
I did not arrive early to cower in the back row. I timed our arrival with surgical precision.
Just as the string quartet transitioned into a breathless, expectant prelude and the heavy oak doors were being prepared for the bride's entrance, I stepped into the cathedral.
I wore an emerald green silk dress that swept the marble floor, my spine straight, my head held high. But the hundreds of wealthy, connected guests turning in their pews didn't look at me for long. Their eyes instantly dropped to the three small figures walking beside me.
Leo and Lucas wore tailored miniature navy suits. My daughter, Maya, wore a white lace dress with a soft green ribbon that matched my gown.
The whispers started immediately. A low, frantic buzzing that swept through the pews like a sudden change in air pressure.
I didn't have to wonder why. Leo had Julian’s exact brow. Lucas had the unmistakable Prescott jawline. And Maya possessed the very same dark, piercing eyes that Vivian herself used to intimidate the elite of Charleston. They were not just children; they were undeniable, walking DNA tests.
We walked down the center aisle, the heavy silence amplifying the soft click-clack of my heels and the tiny footsteps of my children.
In the front row, Vivian Prescott turned around.
May you like
The smug, triumphant smile she had prepared for me froze on her face. Her perfectly manicured hand flew to her throat as all the color drained from her cheeks. She looked at the boys. She looked at Maya. Then she looked at me, her eyes wide with a sudden, suffocating horror.
She had demanded heirs. She had banished me because she believed I could not provide them. Now, three perfect, undeniable heirs were walking right past her.
