The grand organ played a sweet love song in the church hall, but Mark could not smile. He stood near the front in his black tuxedo and gold bowtie, adjusting his cuffs. Everything was supposed to be perfect for his big wedding day. The flowers were fresh, the rich guests had arrived, and the venue was decorated in white silk.
Mark: Where is my daughter?
Best Man: She is probably in the dressing room with the flower girls, man. Calm down.
Mark: I told Chloe to bring Lily to me twenty minutes ago.
Best Man: The ceremony starts in two minutes. You need to focus.
Mark looked around the grand room with growing worry. Something felt completely wrong. He stepped away from the altar, ignoring the whispers from the front row. Suddenly, a faint, muffled voice drifted through the hallway from the back of the building.
Lily: I'm scared... please let me out...
Mark froze as the little voice echoed again. His heart dropped into his stomach. Without saying another word to the best man, Mark broke into a fast run down the ornate white luxury hallway, his dress shoes pounding against the shiny marble floor under the heavy crystal chandeliers.
Mark: Lily! Where are you?!
He reached the end of the long hall and grabbed the handle of a gold-trimmed door. It was locked tightly from the outside. Mark rattled the handle hard, his face turning red with anger. He kicked the door with his boot, making the heavy wood shake.
Mark: Open this door right now! Who locked this door?!
The lock clicked from the inside, and the door swung open slowly. His bride, Chloe, stood there in her expensive lace gown, holding a golden key. Her eyes were sharp, and her face showed no regret as she looked at him.
Chloe: Stop screaming, Mark. You are making a huge scene in front of our high-society guests.
Mark: Why was my seven-year-old daughter locked inside this storage room?!
Chloe: She was crying and ruining my peaceful moment before the ceremony. I just needed her out of the way for an hour.
Mark pushed past Chloe into the small, dark room, reaching down to pick up the crying young girl in her cream flower girl dress. Lily wrapped her small arms around his neck, sobbing loudly against his tuxedo jacket.
Lily: Daddy... she said I'm not family anymore... she said you don't want me after today...
Mark stared at Chloe with absolute disgust and firm resolve. He slowly raised his left hand, pulled off his gold wedding ring, and tossed it onto the cold floor. The ring rolled across the floor, stopping right at the edge of Chloe's lace gown as the whole hallway went dead silent.
Mark: The wedding is over. I choose my daughter.