Chapter 5: The Cancellation That Exposed Everything

The group chat stayed dead silent for a long time.

Even the most talkative relatives didn't type a single word.

Callum called again.

"I admit it. I went way too far with the videos."

"I can scrap the entire series. But can we just go through with the engagement party first?"

"Don't make the guests suffer because we're having a disagreement."

I stared at his messages without replying.

The engagement party wasn't some casual dinner I could reschedule whenever I felt like it.

My parents had paid deposits. His family had arranged rooms for relatives. Invitations had gone out weeks ago.

But none of that changed the one fact Callum seemed determined to ignore.

I was supposed to be the woman he was marrying.

Instead, he'd spent the holiday rehearsing what my life was supposed to look like with another woman standing in my place.

A new message appeared in the family group.

It was from Celia.

"Maren, I'm sorry. I should have stopped the rehearsal when I realized how far it had gone."

I read it twice.

For the first time, someone from Callum's family had admitted that this wasn't harmless anymore.

Miles followed.

"Callum, you should have told her before we left."

Willa immediately replied.

"He knew she would be upset. That's why he didn't."

Callum finally sent a message.

"Everyone needs to calm down. This is between Maren and me."

I typed slowly.

"Then stop using everyone else's money, time, and family event to pressure me into staying."

No one answered.

I put my phone down.

Mom was standing by the kitchen counter, watching me carefully.

"Are you really canceling the party?"

"Yes."

Her expression fell.

"Maren, are you sure?"

"I've never been more sure of anything."

She looked toward the smoked brisket container sitting untouched on the counter.

"What about everything we've prepared?"

I walked over and touched the cooler lid.

"Mom, you prepared this because you thought you were welcoming my future husband into the family."

"I don't want you spending another dollar pretending that future still exists."

Her eyes filled with tears.

Then she nodded.

"Okay."

That single word hurt more than an argument would have.

My phone buzzed again.

This time, it wasn't Callum.

It was an email from the venue.

Subject: Cancellation Confirmation.

I opened it.

The engagement party was officially canceled.

The cancellation fee had been charged to the card I had used to secure the booking.

I expected to feel guilty.

Instead, I felt strangely calm.

Then I noticed something at the bottom of the email.

There had been a request to modify the guest list earlier that morning.

The request came from Callum's account.

I opened the attachment.

Several names had been removed from the original list.

My coworkers. My closest friends. Even my cousin Leah.

But three new names had been added.

Delaney's producer.

Two people from Callum's studio.

I frowned.

Why would Callum change the guest list for our engagement party without telling me?

I checked the timestamp.

The request had been submitted two days before we left.

Before the car ride.

Before the videos.

Before I ever confronted him.

My stomach tightened.

This wasn't something he had decided after our argument.

He had been planning around me before I knew there was a problem.

I opened the original guest list and compared it with the revised version.

My name was still listed beside his.

But underneath our names was a new line.

Media Access: Studio Team Only.

I stared at the screen.

Why did our private engagement party need a media access list?

And why had Callum created it without telling me?

I called the venue coordinator.

"Can you tell me who requested the media access change?"

There was a pause.

"Your fiancé's office submitted it."

"Did he say why?"

"He said the engagement was going to be documented as part of a private promotional project."

My fingers went cold.

"A promotional project?"

"That's what the request says."

I thanked her and hung up.

Callum had told me the videos were just a job.

He had told me the engagement party was our family celebration.

But he'd already arranged for cameras to be there.

And suddenly, the thought that had been sitting quietly in the back of my mind became impossible to ignore.

Maybe the seat in the SUV hadn't been the real betrayal.

Maybe it had only been the first thing he thought I would forgive.