Chapter 3

The hall was well occupied with different indigents of people. All had come to witness the wedding of the humble detective Chris.

Chris stood at the altar alongside the priest as they awaited the bride's arrival. She was supposed to have arrived at the premises of the church at that hour.

Indeed, nothing was more shocking than Chris finding a love of his life.

He had dated many women, but never has he concluded that one of them was perfect for him. Except for Jasmine, of course.

Mrs. Benita wiped off her face constantly to way of tears that kept begging to roll out.

Her son was finally getting married having dated his soon bride for two years, this is the longest date he had been through so far.

"It's going to be alright" she encouraged herself and turned her gaze to the priest.

The priest constantly looked at his wristwatch, as the bride was already out of time.

He announced her arrival all over again and looked out at the entrance for her arrival.

This is the longest, a bride has ever delayed in appearance since he officiated a wedding. What could be the problem?

"Could they be traffic on the way?" he whispered to the groom suddenly.

Chris began to develop a sense of fright within him. He felt his legs shivering but tried his best to keep calm.

He gave a sign to Drake to call Jasmine's phone immediately.

The priest stepped down from the altar and ordered for a meal.

The congregation laughed at the priest impatient behavior, while Mrs. Benita couldn't help but wonder if he was really a priest. She believed, even her twenty-four years old daughter behaved maturer than the seventy years old-looking fool.

Of a fact, Mrs. Benita was full of insults, she gave it out at the slightest opportunity given.

Murmurs from the congregation kept the church noisy. Everyone had a question to ask.

"Silent!" The priest shouted at the top of his fainting voice.

"His voice sounded like a blaring goat" those were Benita's words. If not that she sat far away, she believed confronting him wouldn't be difficult for her.

In the midst of the observed silence, everyone heard a loud pant. Their attentions were directed to the back at the entrance door.

From the large hallway came four ladies running into the church. Each of them were panting and saying all sorts of words that made them gasped for air.

"The bride is missing" the groom's man interpreted one of the ladies words.

He was pushed out of the way by the groom, who headed to his sister.

"Tell me you are lying?" Chris beckoned with a dreadful look, while he kept his hands on her shoulders.

She had tears constantly rolling down her cheeks, which made her makeup ware off gradually.

"I am sorry Chris, she ran away" Ariana disclosed.

"No, that is a lie, she would never leave me" Chris defended.

"It was her father" Isabella pointed out.

"Her father?" Chris retorted.

"I thought you said she was an orphan?" Mrs. Benita snapped in with the question she directed to her son.

The church was filled with echoes and noises dominated the entire building. Everyone seemed to be attentive as the scenario before them appeared fascinating.

"I knew it" Mrs. Benita began complaining." I never liked that girl one bit. I knew she was only after your money…

"Stop it mother!" Chris yelled at her. "How would you say this mean things about my wife?

"She is not your wife yet, you two are not married" Mrs. Benita reminded.

Those words of hers compelled tears out of his eyes.

Drake directed his brother's head to lean on his chest. He then clung his hands around the groom's back. "She will come back, he assured him".

Tyler did not stop calling the bride's phone, which was not connecting.

The hall emptied bit by bit as the guest left gradually. Actually, they were compelled to do so, in order not to spread rumors.

"I told you he would have just became a priest" his uncle reminded his mother while he was about to leave. He had

always told the family that love tales wasn't for Chris.

If not that uncle Gary has been the one supporting Mrs. Benita ever since her husband died, she would have insulted the hell out of him.

She found his statement to be ridiculous.

"Calm down Ariana, I want you to share with me everything that happened from the start?" Tyler requested from her.

He was good at his job as a cop and believes everything happens for a reason.

They were seated on the first bench of the front roll of the church. He drew out a small memorandum and a pen from his pocket.

"She was done with her makeover, and we were all about to leave when her father came by" she explained.

"Her father?" Tyler whispered and jotted down what she had said.

Chris drew nearer to the both of them to hear her out. He stood in front of them while Ariana continued the story.

"She excused herself and left us behind while she went to talk to her father" Ariana explained further.

"So what did they talk about?" Tyler interrogated.

"They talked about the wedding" she replied and looked unsure about her answer. The pictures appeared to be different from what she was saying, but somehow she could not control herself.

"Go on?" Tyler beckoned. He had his phone which he used in recording her confession, just in case he omitted any writing.

"He seemed to have a wedding gift for her, but along the line, they both ran away… "This is insane! It doesn't make sense!" Chris interrupted her with his nag.

"Chris you have to come down we will get to the bottom of this" Tyler assured him. "So, Aria, do you have any more information to give us?" He asked her.

"No, that's all I know" she responded almost immediately and took her leave afterward.

"Hmm!" Tyler hummed. "Did you notice your sister sounded strange?" Tyler exposed his observation to his friend.

"What are you insinuating?" Chris asked.

"I have not concluded yet, how about we find out from the other girls?" Tyler gave the suggestion.

Chris mood had changed to a suspicious one ever since Ariana mentioned Jasmine's father earlier. His expression did not seem like one who was in shock to hear that Jasmine had a father.