Chapter 1: The Truth Hidden Above the Ceiling
Chapter 1: The Truth Hidden Above the Ceiling
"It's all connected."
The ballroom fell silent as Olivia stepped forward, her hand still wrapped protectively around eight-year-old Lily.
The groom stared at her, the folded document trembling in his hands.
"What are you talking about?" he demanded.
Olivia pointed toward the shattered section of the ceiling where the massive wooden sign had crashed only moments earlier.
"That board wasn't secured properly. It was cut loose."
A murmur spread through the guests.
The venue manager immediately objected.
"That's ridiculous! It was inspected this morning."
Olivia didn't answer.
Instead, she walked toward the television that was still displaying the black-and-white security footage.
"Play it from twenty minutes earlier."
The technician hesitated before rewinding the recording.
Everyone watched.
There was the ballroom... completely empty.
Then a man in a maintenance uniform appeared carrying a ladder.
He climbed above the entrance.
Instead of repairing anything, he loosened the heavy decorative board with a cordless drill.
The guests gasped.
"But that's impossible," the groom whispered.
The camera continued rolling.
The worker removed his cap.
It wasn't a maintenance employee.
It was the bride's cousin, Derek.
Shock rippled across the room.
The bride covered her mouth.
"Derek... why?"
Before anyone could answer, Olivia nodded toward the official document.
"Read the last page."
The groom unfolded it again.
It wasn't a seating chart.
It was an insurance investigation report.
The venue had recently taken out a multimillion-dollar liability policy covering structural accidents during large events.
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Someone had planned to make the collapse look accidental.
And someone expected to get very rich.
