Chapter 5 Chapter 5 My dad hurled his microphone to the ground, roaring: "Declan! What the HELL is this shit?!" The HD footage froze on Declan and Scarlett's intertwined bodies, stuck there like a nightmare. Scarlett's breathy "Declan, I'm so crazy about you" kept looping through the sound system like poisoned needles stabbing everyone's ears. "You piece of SHIT!" My dad's eyes were bloodshot as he grabbed a champagne flute and smashed it on the floor. Glass exploded everywhere. He pointed a shaking finger at the screen: "THIS is your promise to my daughter?!" "Six years! You swore you'd give Grace the wedding she deserved-is THIS your idea of what she deserves?!" My mom went ghost-white, clutching her chest and swaying on her feet. Emma caught her before she collapsed, tears streaming: "Grace... my poor Grace.... this is a nightmare!" All color drained from Declan's face, his pupils dilating in shock. He spun toward me, panicked and desperate: "Grace! This isn't real! Someone's framing me!" His voice cracked completely. Then he whirled on the tech crew, screaming: "SHUT IT OFF! Turn it OFF RIGHT NOW!" He was like a cornered animal, veins bulging in his forehead, all his usual composure gone. But the screen wouldn't budge-if anything, the technical difficulties made the most intimate footage loop endlessly. A sweating technician ran over: "Mr. Montgomery... the system's.... it's locked down! We can't shut it off!" "Enough! Everyone CALM DOWN! This has to be some mistake!" Declan's father, Harrison Montgomery, said. He stood with his cane, voice booming as he tried to restore order. "Declan! What the hell is going on here?!" Declan grabbed onto that lifeline, turning to his father with rapid-fire explanations and a trembling voice: "Dad! Someone edited this! It's deepfake AI! Scarlett and I are completely innocent! Grace, you have to believe me!" He lunged toward me, trying to grab my hands. I stepped back, avoiding his reach. My gaze was ice-cold as I stared him down: "Declan, you sure this is AI?" "You know damn well what's real and what's not!" Declan's eyes darted away guiltily. That's when Declan's stepmother rushed forward, trying to smooth things over with forced gentleness: Chapter 5 "Please, please! This has to be a misunderstanding! Declan's devotion to Grace is legendary! Everyone knows what a devoted boyfriend he's been!" "Someone must be jealous of them, trying to sabotage-let's just hear Declan's explanation..." "Explanation?" I laughed coldly, my voice cutting through the chaos. Everyone turned to stare. "What if I told you I found this video on his computer? With the password being his and his mistress's anniversary?" I watched Declan calmly, enjoying every second as his face slowly crumbled. "It was YOU! You did this to me! How COULD you?" He raked his hands through his hair frantically, then stepped closer. "No, Grace, listen to me-this video isn't real." "Believe me-I only love you! ONLY you!" He was completely incoherent now, panic making him irrational as he tried to force me into his arms: "I swear it's true! I flew to three different countries to find the perfect designer for our wedding rings-you have to trust me, I only love you!" Looking at the man I'd loved for six years, I felt nothing but disgust. I struggled to push him away, frowning in revulsion. But he held on desperately, terrified that letting go meant losing me forever. My dad saw me struggling and rushed over to pry Declan off. Harrison tried to mediate: "Mr. Whitmore, please don't get upset-let's hear the boy out." Right at the peak of this chaotic struggle, a clear, lazily amused female voice cut through everything: "Declan, since the video's already out there... why don't we just roll with it?" 3621