Vows Under Glass
Chapter 1
Vows Under Glass
The delicate chime of bells rang through the air, mingling with the sweet scent of lilies and roses as Ada Monroe stepped back to admire her handiwork. The glasshouse shimmered in the afternoon sun, the vibrant floral arrangements casting bursts of color against the transparent walls. Today was special; every petal had been arranged with care for her cousin Celeste and her fiancé, Roman Vale, a man whose wealth and power were known throughout the city.
But as the ceremony commenced, a tension thicker than the fragrant air wrapped around Ada like a heavy cloak. Guests smiled, their laughter forced, eyes darting nervously as they took their seats. Ada’s heart raced when she spotted Roman, his usually confident demeanor slightly frayed. He scanned the crowd, his jaw clenched, as if he sensed something was amiss.
Suddenly, a sharp crack shattered the fragile atmosphere, followed by the sickening sound of glass exploding. Panic erupted like a tidal wave. Ada spun around, her heart pounding in her throat, just in time to see Roman lunging toward Celeste, tackling her to the ground as the second shot rang out.
“Get down!” he shouted, his voice strained and urgent. The world flipped in that instant,her cousin’s wedding, the laughter, the joy,all consumed by sheer horror.
Screams echoed against the glass walls, drowning out the chirping of birds outside. Ada’s breath caught as chaos unfolded around her. She instinctively crouched behind a floral arrangement, the sweet scent of roses now mingled with the metallic tang of fear.
In the aftermath, sirens wailed like banshees in the distance, and the glasshouse fell eerily silent, save for the rustling of fabric and the panicked gasps of those still processing what had just occurred. Ada felt a jolt of realization, her heart racing even faster as she caught Roman's eye. His hand clasped hers, an undeniable connection forged in the chaos.
“You’re my wife,” he murmured, eyes wide in disbelief. The words sent a shiver down her spine. Celeste lay a few feet away, blood soaking through her white gown as paramedics swarmed around her, urgency etched on their faces.
“What are you talking about?” Ada replied, her voice trembling, confusion mingling with dread. The weight of his words settled heavily in the air between them.
Roman’s grip tightened, pulling her closer. “We need to stick together. There’s something bigger at play here. I can’t explain now, but trust me.”
The panic in his eyes was unmistakable, and Ada felt a surge of urgency. “Roman, Celeste,she needs help! We can’t just,”
“Celeste will be taken care of,” he insisted, his tone firm yet laced with desperation. “We need to move before they find us.”
Ada’s mind raced as they were ushered away by paramedics. She glanced back at Celeste, who was being loaded onto a gurney, her face pale and fragile. The image struck Ada like a punch to the gut, a reminder that everything had changed in an instant.
“Why would anyone shoot at a wedding?” Ada asked, her voice barely above a whisper, the reality sinking in.
Roman’s eyes darkened. “That’s what we need to figure out. Someone wanted to send a message. And I’m afraid it’s not over.”
They stepped outside into the bright sunlight, the crisp air doing little to dispel the chill that had settled in Ada’s bones. A small crowd had gathered, murmuring and pointing, their faces a mix of shock and curiosity. An officer approached them, his expression grave.
“Are you two okay?” he asked, scanning their faces. “We need to take your statements.”
Roman straightened, his posture shifting to one of authority. “We need to talk somewhere private. Now.”
The officer hesitated but nodded, leading them away from the gathering crowd toward a police car parked at the edge of the lot. Ada’s heart raced, the weight of the situation pressing down on her. She was caught in a storm, and there was no telling where it would take her.
As they settled into the backseat, Roman turned to her, his expression intense. “Stay close to me, Ada. I don’t know what’s happening, but I’m not letting anything happen to you.”
The determination in his voice sent a thrill of fear and excitement through her. They were bound now, not just by the day's events but by something deeper,a shared secret shrouded in mystery. As the officer began asking questions, Ada felt the tension rise, a dark cloud looming over their heads.
“Do you trust me?” Roman asked, his gaze piercing into her.
“I... I don’t know,” she admitted, her pulse quickening as uncertainty filled the air.
“Then we need to find out who’s behind this,” he said, leaning closer. “Before it’s too late.”
And just like that, the world outside faded, leaving only the two of them in a tangled web of danger and unspoken feelings.
Ada heard the chapel doors lock behind her. The celebrant had disappeared, the guests were filming, and the groom’s blood stained the white tablecloth. “Call an ambulance,” she ordered.
“The family has its own doctor,” a man replied.
Ada pushed the phone away from his hand and dialed emergency services herself. She gave the address, the injury, and the fact that someone had sealed the exits. While she spoke, she saw a second marriage certificate beneath the broken glass case. The names were correct, but the witness list was not. Every witness belonged to the groom’s business, not the bride’s family.
The groom, Rafe, opened his eyes. “Do not let them take the case,” he whispered.
Ada reached for it, but Helena’s security chief stepped between them. He said the case contained a family heirloom and threatened to have Ada arrested for theft. Ada photographed the seal instead. A tiny code had been etched beside the clasp, the same code printed on the envelope that had brought her to the wedding.
The ambulance siren grew louder. Ada placed herself beside Rafe’s stretcher and refused to leave when the security chief ordered her back. She told the paramedic that Rafe might have been poisoned before the ceremony. The paramedic marked the chart for toxicology.
That decision changed the room. Helena stopped shouting. A lawyer began calling people. Rafe’s hand closed around Ada’s sleeve, not strong enough to hold her but clear enough to make the cameras turn.
“If he wakes,” Ada said, “he gets to choose who speaks for him.”
The lawyer smiled. “He already chose.”
He produced a signed proxy naming Ada as temporary guardian. The signature looked like Rafe’s, yet the date was tomorrow. Ada took a picture and sent it to the clerk who had issued the marriage license. The clerk replied with one line: That document was filed before the ceremony began.
Ada climbed into the ambulance. Behind her, the chapel doors opened and Helena announced that Ada had planned the attack. The accusation followed them onto the street, live on every phone. Ada held the sealed case against her chest. If the proxy was forged, the person who filed it had known the wedding would fail. At the hospital, a nurse showed her two charts for Rafe, one with an allergy and one without. A file vanished during scanning. Ada photographed the screen and placed the glass case under the ward camera. “Destroy another chart,” she said, “and I name the document and the time.” Helena answered through the intercom that Rafe’s next of kin had changed.