Playboy's Secret Wife novel · Chapter 11 of 24

Chapter 11: The Video

The lights went down.

Four hundred people turned toward a white screen the size of a house.

The picture jumped and steadied.

It was a small chapel with plastic flowers and a neon arch, filmed from the back, in grainy yellow light.

A timestamp ran in the corner.

3:31 a.m.

The doors burst open, and a woman in a sequined dress came in backward, laughing, with one shoe in her hand.

It was me.

I'd never seen anything so horrifying.

"Look at this place!" the me on the screen shouted.

"It's perfect!"

Someone behind me made a small sound.

A man followed me in, with his hand on my elbow and his tie loose.

He wasn't laughing.

"Callie," said Lucas on the screen.

"It's nearly four."

"Let me put you in a car."

"I'm not tired."

"I'm furious."

The screen me swung around and grabbed his lapels with both fists.

"Marry me."

Nobody in the ballroom breathed.

"No," said Lucas.

"You're upset."

"You're very drunk."

"In the morning you'll hate me."

"I will not."

"You're the only man on this entire street who has said no to me tonight."

"And I want to marry you for it."

"That is the wrong reason."

"It's the only one I've got."

I could feel my face burning, and I couldn't look away.

"He'll see it online," screen-me said.

"Trent."

"He'll see I married somebody better."

"Callie."

"Somebody who lets me finish my sentences."

Lucas took a long breath.

"No," he said again, more gently.

"I'll find you a taxi, and I'll sit in the lobby until you're asleep."

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