It was a morning so ideal that it almost felt scripted: clear skies, a gentle breeze, and a crowd of the city's most prestigious guests waiting patiently in polished pews. Michael Hudson stood at the altar, his hands steady, his posture composed, but inside he was a storm of anticipation and emotion. The sunlight shone through the glass windows of St. Augustine Cathedral, casting multicolored reflections across the marble floor.
A new phase of his life was set to begin.
In the background, the string quartet played softly. Aware of the couple's desire for privacy, photographers hovered around the periphery, keen to document the year's most memorable wedding. The spectacle didn't appeal to Michael. He just wanted to see her, approaching him with her veil flowing and her eyes full of promise.
Henry Whitlock whispered next to him, a playful smile tugging at his lips, "It's still time to run, you know."
Michael grinned while keeping his gaze fixed on the doors. "I'll need to be dragged out of here."
Henry twitched his cufflinks and laughed. "Just making sure. I've witnessed you close multimillion-dollar deals with less emotion than you're currently showing."
A rare boyish smile lifted Michael's lips as he exhaled."It is uncommon for a man to find his true love and marry her."
What he was saying was true.
Because his life was always moving quickly, Heather Parker meant more to him than just being his college sweetheart. He noticed her bright red lipstick, her leather notebooks and above all, her confidence, as he saw her crossing the campus for the first time. Initially, they had argued due to their differences, but eventually, everything worked out well for them.
He remembered her laughter echoing through the bookshelves from all those evenings he spent with her in the library. He tried to propose during their picnic, but she just kissed him instead of answering him.
When Hudson Industries threatened to swallow him whole after his father's death, she had been the one to keep him grounded.
Together, they had developed. And they would build forever today.
As the organist entered the wedding march, the audience fell silent.Michael gasped.
The cathedral's doors remained locked.
He scowled.
A moment passed. Then another and another.
He glanced sideways. Henry's expression hinting at a smile was not steady.
A hush took hold as a woman walking with a headset and a clipboard approached the altar with a mix of shock and silence.
Michael's heart started to race—not because of excitement, but because he was scared.
Is everything okay? he inquired.
She swallowed. "I am sorry to report that Miss Parker is unreachable."
He looked at her, feeling unsure what was happening. "What's going on?"
"Even though it's been an hour since she left the hotel, she is nowhere to be seen. Her cell phone is off. According to her driver, she did not leave her room."
The situation caused Michael's heart to stop for a moment.
Everyone's whispers could be heard in the tense atmosphere.
"Was she not planning to come?" Henry's eyes blinked while he asked the question.
"Sir, we are doing what we can to find her."
Michael did not say anything.
He turned away from the doors and went back.
Behind them, the silence spoke for itself.