Chapter 111: Your husband might storm in here
The hall fell into stunned silence. Even the orchestra stopped playing.
For a few seconds, no one dared to speak. Then—
"What did she just say?"
"I... I heard it too."
"Did she say Maria?"
Whispers spread through the crowd like wildfire.
Maria’s face instantly drained of color.
"W-What nonsense are you talking about?" she shouted, her voice noticeably lacking the confidence it had moments ago. "Have you lost your mind?"
Ruby’s heart skipped a beat. She immediately looked at Eric.
His face had gone pale. That single reaction was enough to make uneasiness creep into her heart.
"Eric..." Ruby whispered. "Tell them she’s lying."
Eric clenched his fists.
"Hannah," he said through gritted teeth, "watch what you’re saying."
Hannah let out a soft laugh.
"Why?" she asked. "Does the truth make you uncomfortable?"
"You have no proof."
"Proof?"
Hannah tilted her head.
"I wasn’t planning on exposing your dirty secrets today."
Her gaze swept across Eric, Maria, and Helena.
"But since all of you insisted on making me the villain..."
She shrugged.
"...I don’t mind returning the favor."
Maria’s breathing became uneven.
"You’re making baseless accusations!"
"Am I?" Hannah’s calm smile made Maria’s stomach twist.
"If I’m lying..." Hannah continued, "then why do all three of you look so nervous?"
Instinctively, everyone’s eyes shifted toward Eric, Ruby, and Maria.
None of them looked composed anymore.
Helena stepped forward immediately. "Enough!" She pointed accusingly at Hannah.
"Don’t believe a single word she’s saying! She’s doing this because she can’t accept that Eric chose Ruby."
Several guests exchanged uncertain glances. Moments ago, they would have believed Helena without question.
Now... they weren’t so sure.
Hannah smiled faintly.
"Aunt Helena," she said, "you’re very good at changing the narrative."
Helena’s expression stiffened.
"But unfortunately for you..." She slowly reached into the purse she carried with her.
"...I don’t speak without a reason."
Everyone’s attention shifted to her hand.
Eric’s heartbeat quickened.
No... She couldn’t possibly...
Maria unconsciously took a step back. Does she actually have evidence?
Ruby’s palms became damp with sweat.
Even Jaden, who had remained silent until now, narrowed his eyes.
The atmosphere inside the hall grew unbearably tense.
Clara, standing quietly behind Hannah, blinked in confusion.
"Wait..." she whispered to Lily.
"Did we accidentally walk into a wedding... or a courtroom?"
Despite the suffocating tension, Lily almost burst out laughing.
She quickly covered her mouth.
"Madam," she whispered back, "this really isn’t the time."
Clara scratched her cheek awkwardly.
"I know... but this wedding keeps getting more dramatic every five minutes."
Neither of them noticed that Alaric had been silently watching Hannah the entire time.
Unlike the others, his attention wasn’t on the accusations.
It was on Hannah herself.
She wasn’t bluffing.
The confidence in her eyes told him she knew something... something that could destroy more than one person standing in that hall.
And for the first time that day... Eric genuinely looked afraid.
Holding everyone’s gaze, Hannah walked calmly toward the projector that had earlier displayed Eric and Ruby’s wedding photos.
Without a word, she reached into her purse, took out a USB drive, and plugged it into the projector.
A few seconds later, the slideshow changed.
The moment the first image appeared on the screen, the entire hall fell silent.
A chorus of shocked gasps echoed through the venue.
The screen displayed intimate video of Eric and Maria together, leaving no room for misunderstanding about the nature of their relationship.
Before anyone could recover from the shock, a video began to play.
Eric’s voice filled the hall.
"You have no idea how much I needed this."
Maria smiled as she looked at him.
"I’ll always be by your side, Eric. Ruby may become your wife in name, but I’ll be the one who truly has your heart."
Eric cupped her face and kissed her before replying without hesitation. The sound of their intercourse filling the room.
"You’re the one I want."
Every word echoed through the silent banquet hall.
The evidence shattered the narrative Helena had been trying so desperately to protect.
Moments earlier, she had painted Hannah as the jealous ex-fiancée trying to ruin the wedding.
Now, no one was looking at Hannah. Every pair of eyes was fixed on Eric and Maria.
The whispers erupted almost instantly.
"So... Hannah was telling the truth?" the guest began to gossip.
"I can’t believe this..."
"They were having an affair all along?"
Helena’s face turned deathly pale.
Maria stood frozen, unable to tear her eyes away from the screen.
Eric’s expression crumbled as panic replaced every trace of composure.
Meanwhile, Ruby, who had been proudly basking in what she believed was her victory only moments ago, felt the blood drain from her face.
She stared at the screen in disbelief before slowly turning toward Eric.
Her lips trembled.
"...Eric?"
The single word was barely above a whisper, but it carried more hurt than anger.
For the first time since the wedding began... the smile on the bride’s face completely disappeared.
Eric stood frozen, his mind racing for an explanation.
"Ruby, listen to me!" he said desperately. "It’s all fake. None of it is true!"
A faint smirk appeared on Hannah’s lips.
"Then prove it."
She calmly removed the USB drive from the projector and held it out to Ruby.
"Take it. Have it examined by any forensic expert you want."
Ruby stared at the tiny device in Hannah’s hand before slowly taking it.
Hannah looked at her with a mixture of disappointment and pity.
"You tried so hard to steal the man I loved."
She paused.
"But look at what happened in the end."
Her gaze shifted toward Maria.
"The person you trusted the most turned out to be the one planning to steal your husband."
Hannah wasn’t surprised.
Maria had betrayed her once before. She knew exactly what kind of woman Maria was.
Unfortunately, Ruby had been too blinded by pride to see through the lies.
Ruby’s fingers tightened around the USB drive.
At first, embarrassment washed over her face.
Then... that embarrassment was consumed by rage. She slowly turned toward Maria, her eyes burning with fury.
"You bitch!" Before anyone could react, Ruby charged toward her.
"I trusted you!"
Slap!
The sharp sound echoed through the hall. Maria stumbled backward before another slap landed across her face.
"You smiled in front of me while plotting behind my back?"
"Ruby, stop!" Maria cried, trying to shield herself.
Eric rushed forward. "Ruby, calm down!"
Instead of calming her, he earned himself a hard slap across the face.
Smack!
"You stay away from me!" Ruby shouted, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Don’t you dare touch me!"
Eric staggered back, completely speechless.
At that moment, Roman stepped forward with several security personnel behind him.
His expression was cold.
Looking at the faces surrounding them, Eric finally realized there was no recovering from this.
Everything they had built...
Their reputation... Their image...
It had all collapsed.
***
Without sparing the trio another glance, Hannah turned to leave.
Halfway to the exit, she stopped in front of Clara and Lily.
Lily froze. "Oh my God..."
She immediately hid behind Clara. "Madam," she whispered nervously, "have I covered my face enough?"
Clara didn’t answer. She was too busy staring at Hannah, who was looking at her with an amused smile.
Hannah folded her arms.
"If you’re done pretending to be a waitress," she said, "let’s get out of here."
She glanced toward the entrance.
"Otherwise, your husband might storm in here and drag you home himself."
The moment those words left her mouth, Clara’s awkward waitress act completely disappeared.
She smiled sheepishly. "You know me too well."
Lily blinked in confusion. "Madam... what?"
Clara simply grinned, her crescent-shaped eyes filled with mischief.
"Come on." Without giving Lily time to ask another question, Clara grabbed her hand.
"Let’s leave before things get even more dramatic."
"W-Wait for me!" Lily stumbled after her as Clara hurried toward the exit.
Watching the two disappear through the doors, Hannah shook her head with a helpless smile before following behind them.