Mark knelt down on the hard floor right beside his weeping young daughter.
He picked up the bank document that carried a large official seal across the top corner.
His eyes scanned the black ink line by line as the church remained completely quiet.
The check was made out for two hundred thousand dollars to his late wife, Sarah.
It was signed clearly in fine cursive ink by Victoria Hale three years ago.
Attached to the payment voucher was a strict legal agreement demanding complete total silence.
It stated that Sarah had to cut off all contact and move away from Dallas immediately.
Mark felt a sudden cold chill wash straight over his entire body as he read it.
He remembered how Sarah had suddenly packed her bags and left town without a single word.
He had spent months searching everywhere for her, believing she had simply fallen out of love.
He never knew that Victoria had manipulated the entire situation behind his back from the start.
Victoria had used her corporate bank fund to force a sick, desperate woman into hiding.
Sarah had used the settlement money to pay for her urgent medical treatments in another state.
Mark stood up slowly, his face completely pale as he stared directly at Victoria.
Mark: You bribed her mother while she was sick and suffering?
Victoria backed away slightly, her hands twitching against the expensive fabric of her bridal gown.
Victoria: She was holding you back from your true potential in life, Mark!
Mark: She was my wife, and you destroyed our family for your own selfish desire!
Victoria: I gave her a choice, and she took the cash without arguing!
Mark: Because she needed to survive, you monster!
The wedding guests began whispering loudly to one another from every single pew.
Victoria's father, a powerful local corporate attorney, stood up near the front row.
He tried to step forward, but the looks of anger from the crowd made him pause.
Victoria turned her gaze back to Mark, trying to soften her sharp voice into a smile.
Victoria: We can still move forward with our lives and forget all about this past mistake.
Mark: You are insane if you think I am ever marrying you!
Victoria: Think about your career and the money my family business brings to your trust fund!
Mark: I do not care about your wealth or your fake status!
Mark took Lily's hand gently, pulling her behind his back to keep her completely safe.
Mark: The wedding is over, and you are going to pay for what you did!
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