Chapter 1
The phone rang just as I was finalizing the seating chart for our wedding reception. One week to go. Seven days until I became Mrs. William Brown. The screen displayed an unknown number, and for a moment, I considered letting it go to voicemail. I had table arrangements to sort out, final fittings to schedule, and a thousand other details demanding my attention.
But the professional event planner in me couldn't ignore a call. What if it was the florist with a last-minute question? Or the caterer confirming the menu?
"Hello, Clara Price speaking," I answered, tucking the phone between my ear and shoulder as I continued arranging name cards.
Silence greeted me, followed by a strange electronic hum. I was about to hang up when a voice—distorted and unnatural—finally spoke.
"Don't marry him, Clara."
My hand froze over the seating chart. "Excuse me?"
"William. He's not who you think he is." The voice was female but warped through what was clearly a voice modifier, making it impossible to identify.
"Who is this?" I demanded, my heart suddenly pounding against my ribs.
"Someone who knows the truth. William has been cheating on you. For over a year now."
A laugh escaped me, high-pitched and nervous. "Is this some kind of joke?"
"I wish it were." The electronic voice continued, devoid of emotion yet somehow heavy with meaning. "He's been with me while planning a future with you. You deserve to know before you make the biggest mistake of your life."
My throat tightened. "Look, I don't know who you are or what you're trying to accomplish, but—"
"I'm not trying to hurt you," the voice interrupted. "I'm trying to save you. Open your eyes, Clara. See his true face before it's too late."
The line went dead.
I stared at my phone, my hands trembling slightly. The seating chart lay forgotten as I sank into the nearest chair, trying to process what had just happened.
William? Cheating? The very idea was absurd. William, who surprised me with breakfast in bed every Sunday. William, who remembered the anniversary of our first date with flowers and champagne. William, who looked at me like I was the only woman in the world.
"Ridiculous," I muttered to myself, shaking my head as if to physically dislodge the caller's words from my mind. This had to be someone's idea of a cruel prank—perhaps a jealous colleague or a disgruntled client. The wedding industry bred its fair share of drama, after all.
As if summoned by my thoughts, the front door opened, and William's familiar footsteps echoed in the hallway. I quickly composed myself, pushing the disturbing call to the back of my mind.
"Honey, I'm home," he called out, his voice warm and reassuring.
William appeared in the doorway, tall and handsome in his tailored suit, his dark hair slightly tousled from the autumn wind. His smile—the same smile that had captivated me from our very first meeting—spread across his face as his eyes found mine.
"There's my beautiful bride," he said, crossing the room to kiss me. "How's the wedding planning going?"
I returned his kiss, searching his face for... what? Some sign of deception? Some evidence that the anonymous caller had been telling the truth? All I saw was the same loving gaze I'd grown accustomed to over the past two years.
"It's going well," I replied, forcing a smile. "Just finishing up the seating chart."
William's phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at it, his expression shifting almost imperceptibly before he stepped away.
"Sorry, I need to take this. It's work."
I nodded, watching as he moved to the kitchen, his voice dropping to a murmur I couldn't quite make out. It was a familiar scene—William taking work calls at all hours—but now, with the anonymous caller's words echoing in my mind, I found myself straining to hear his conversation.
When he returned a few minutes later, I asked casually, "Everything okay at the office?"
"Just Jack with some questions about the Peterson account," William replied smoothly, loosening his tie. "Nothing that can't wait until tomorrow."
I nodded, studying his face for any sign of dishonesty. Was that a flicker of unease in his eyes, or was I imagining things? Was his explanation a little too practiced, a little too quick?
Over dinner, I found myself noticing things I'd never paid attention to before. The way William kept his phone face-down on the table. How he checked it when he thought I wasn't looking. The slight hesitation before answering my questions about his day.
That night, as William slept peacefully beside me, I lay awake, my mind racing. The rational part of me knew I was being paranoid, allowing a random phone call to plant seeds of doubt in what had always been a solid relationship. But another part—a small, insistent voice—whispered that something wasn't right.
The next morning, I made up my mind. I needed to know the truth, one way or another. After William left for work, I searched online for private investigators, my finger hovering over the call button for several minutes before I finally pressed it.
"Vance Investigations," a deep voice answered.
"My name is Clara Price," I said, my voice steadier than I expected. "I need to hire someone to investigate my fiancé. We're getting married in six days, and I... I need to know if he's being unfaithful."
There was a pause on the other end. "I understand, Ms. Price. My name is Leo Vance. Perhaps we should meet in person to discuss the details?"
As I agreed to meet him that afternoon, I felt a strange mixture of dread and determination. If William was innocent—and God, I hoped he was—then this would simply be an embarrassing overreaction I'd never have to tell him about. But if the caller was right...
I glanced at our engagement photo on the nightstand, William's arm around my waist, both of us beaming with happiness. Six days until our wedding. Six days to discover if the man I loved was really the man I thought he was.