Chapter 4 - The Wedding Day Trap
Saturday arrived. The Copper Spoon had never looked more beautiful. We had cleared the main dining floor, setting up elegant round tables draped in ivory linen, adorned with towering arrangements of white roses and crystal candlelight.
As the eighty guests arrived, they were greeted by my father, who was holding court by the entrance. He shook hands, clapped shoulders, and proudly welcomed the elite of Columbus into "his" restaurant. I watched from the kitchen doors, wearing a sharp, black manager's suit, directing my staff with quiet precision.
The ceremony, held on our garden terrace, was actually beautiful. Chloe looked stunning, and despite everything, I felt a tear prick my eye when she said her vows. She was still the little sister who used to hide in my room during thunderstorms. I just wished her parents weren't monsters.
Once the cocktail hour ended, the guests moved into the main dining room. The champagne flowed, the multi-course dinner was executed flawlessly by my kitchen, and the room was buzzing with joy.
Then, it was time for the toasts.
My father stood up, tapping a spoon against his crystal glass. The room fell silent. He took the microphone, beaming at the crowd.
"Thank you all for being here," he began, his voice booming through the sound system. "Today is a beautiful day. Not only because I am gaining a wonderful son-in-law in Bradley, but because it marks a beautiful merging of two great families."
He looked directly at Douglas, who raised his glass in return.
"Many of you know I’ve been heavily involved in the culinary world," my father lied effortlessly. "Building this restaurant has been a labor of love. I let my daughter, Veronica, manage the day-to-day operations to teach her the value of hard work." A few polite chuckles rippled through the crowd. "But today, I am thrilled to announce that Douglas and I are officially partners. As of this morning, we have finalized a major investment deal to expand The Copper Spoon into a national franchise!"
The crowd clapped. Douglas smiled proudly.
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I gave Marcus, who was sitting at a table near the back, a subtle nod. I walked over to the soundboard, where Hannah was standing by with a laptop connected to the two massive projectors we usually used for corporate presentations.
"Actually, Dad," I said, stepping out into the center of the room with a second microphone. "I think you missed a few important details about that business deal."
