THE EXILED WARLORD

Chapter 7: The Wedding of Lies

The grand hall of Silvercrest Hotel buzzed with activity. 

Luxurious floral arrangements in ivory and gold were being mounted across archways. 

Tall crystal chandeliers sparkled overhead, while waiters dressed in black and white carried trays of champagne and strawberries dipped in chocolate.

"Make sure the roses are centered!" Evelyn snapped, adjusting the hem of her silver gown.

 Her hands trembled, not just from nerves, but from the haunting memory of a black envelope.

Damien walked in, tall and confident in his designer suit.

 He kissed her on the cheek. "You look beautiful, baby. Just one more day and you'll be Mrs. Vale."

Evelyn forced a smile. "Yeah... I can't wait."

But inside, her stomach turned.

Across the street, a man stood beneath a tree.

Adrian.

His hood was pulled low. His eyes scanned the guards, the exits, the cameras. He counted steps, memorized routines.

"Twelve steps between switchovers. Camera delay: four seconds. Two blind spots by the east wall," he murmured to himself.

A delivery truck pulled up. Adrian grabbed a box of folded linens and walked in with the staff, his movements smooth, confident unseen.

Inside the engagement party, laughter echoed. The rich and powerful toasted to love and legacy.

Adrian moved through the crowd like a shadow. He nodded politely to a waiter, slipped into the kitchen and pulled aside a young maid.

"Excuse me" he said softly.

She blinked at him. "Yes, sir?"

He handed her a small flash drive and a folded note.

 "Please give this to Miss Evelyn. She dropped it earlier. Urgent."

The maid took it. "Of course."

But when she turned to ask another question... he was gone.

Back at the main hall, Evelyn checked her clutch. Her phone buzzed. A message.

She tapped it.

A video started playing.

Adrian’s face appeared, half covered in shadows. His voice was cold, whispering:

"Smile for the cameras."

Her breath caught in her throat.

Damien looked over. "Everything okay?"

She locked her phone quickly. "Yeah. Just... jitters."

She stood and searched the crowd. Her eyes swept left to right, scanning every waiter, every face.

But he was gone.

In the quiet dressing room upstairs, Evelyn sat before a mirror, gripping the edge of the table.

"You said he died" she muttered to herself. "He was supposed to be dead."

Her reflection stared back with guilt in her eyes.

Flashbacks hit her.

The courtroom.

The judge.

Her hand raised as she testified. Her words echoing in her head: 

"He was mentally unstable. He wanted to destroy the chain of command. I’m afraid of what he might do."

Tears slid down her cheeks.

She remembered her father in the hospital bed.

"They’ll cancel our debt if you just say it, Evelyn," he had begged. "We’ll lose everything if you don’t."

She made her choice.

And now he was back.

In the courtyard behind the building, Marcus paced. Four of his men were late again.

He turned to his personal guard. "Have you seen Cole and Vance?"

The man shook his head. "Not since last night."

Marcus’s jaw tightened. "You wait this long to tell me that?!"

"Sir, I "

"Get everyone. We’re doing a sweep now."

The guard ran off.

Marcus lit a cigar, blowing smoke into the night.

"Damn ghost won’t stay dead," he muttered.

He returned inside, only to find a gold envelope on his desk.

A wedding invitation.

His niece’s wedding.

To Damien Vale.

He stared at the invitation for a long moment, then whispered, "He won’t ruin this."

Outside the ballroom, two of Marcus’s private guards stopped a man in a suit.

He wore a mask, but his stance was rigid, his eyes cold.

"ID, sir," one guard said.

The man looked up.

Adrian.

He smiled faintly, then said, "I’m just here for the bride."