Chapter 5 - The Bride Who Already Knew
Behind Graham, Audrey appeared at the side entrance in her wedding gown.
She looked pale.
Graham turned toward her.
“Audrey?”
Her expression told him something was wrong.
“I received a call this morning,” she said quietly.
“From whom?”
“Laurel.”
Graham stared at her.
Audrey continued before he could misunderstand.
“She tried to reach you. Your phone was with your assistant, so she found my number.”
“What did she say?”
Audrey looked toward Piper.
“That Piper is your daughter.”
Graham felt the entire room disappear around him.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I found out less than twenty minutes ago, and then security told me two children had entered the hotel.”
Piper suddenly spoke.
“Mom’s in the hospital.”
Graham looked at her.
“What happened?”
“She’s sick.”
“Who brought you here?”
Piper lowered her eyes.
“Nobody.”
Graham’s face tightened.
“You came across Philadelphia alone with a two-year-old?”
Piper nodded.
Then her voice broke.
“They said they might put us somewhere else, and Wren might not be with me.”
She held her sister tighter.
“Please don’t let them separate us.”
Something inside Graham shifted.
He looked at the child standing in front of him.
She wasn’t asking for money.
She wasn’t asking about his house.
She wasn’t asking whether he really was her father.
She was asking him to protect her little sister.
Graham turned toward his assistant.
“Bring the car around.”
Then he looked at Audrey.
Behind her waited flowers, guests and the life they had planned.
“Audrey…”
She was crying now.
But she nodded.
“Go.”
“I don’t know what this means for us.”
“Neither do I.”
She swallowed.
“But she’s twelve, Graham. She shouldn’t have had to come here alone.”
Graham looked toward the altar one last time.
May you like
Then said:
“Cancel the ceremony.”
