"Groom Flees 2 Hours Before the Wedding. The Abandoned Bride Stays, Orders All 5 Courses, and Makes Everyone Regret It."

Maddie and Frank turned to see a figure sprinting into the room, drenched in sweat and rain. It was Connor, Tyler’s best man, still wearing his rented tuxedo. He looked completely unhinged, clutching a soaked manila envelope to his chest.

“Maddie! Mr. Price!” Connor gasped, jogging up to the head table. He collapsed into a chair, breathing heavily.

“Get out of my sight, Connor,” Frank growled, stepping forward. “Before I make you pay for what your friend did.”

“Wait, Frank, please! You have to listen to me!” Connor held up his hands defensively, then slammed the wet envelope onto the table, right next to Maddie’s filet mignon. “I didn't know! I swear to God, Maddie, I didn't know until ten minutes ago!”

Maddie stared at the envelope. “Didn't know what?”

“Tyler didn't leave because he got cold feet,” Connor said, wiping rain from his forehead. “He left because he’s running from federal investigators.”

The ballroom was dead silent. Even Eli, who had just poured the wine, froze in his tracks.

“What are you talking about?” Maddie asked, her voice dangerously quiet.

“Tyler has been embezzling money from his firm for two years,” Connor rushed out, his words stumbling over each other. “He was funneling it into an offshore account. The ‘delayed commission check’ he told you about? It didn't exist. His boss confronted him yesterday. They were going to have him arrested on Monday.”

Maddie stared at the man she was supposed to marry just a few hours ago, realizing she had never known him at all.

“The blonde woman,” Eli interjected smoothly. “The one with the silver Mercedes.”

Connor’s eyes snapped to Eli, bewildered by the waiter's knowledge, but he nodded frantically. “Jessica. She works at a travel agency. She forged a second passport for him. They left for the airport an hour ago. He sent me this envelope with a burner phone—it’s the deed to his car, asking me to sell it and wire him the cash in Mexico.”

Frank let out a sound that was half-sob, half-roar of anger. “He stole my retirement. He used my money to fund his wedding so he could pocket his own cash to run away!”

Maddie’s hands gripped the edge of the table. The humiliation of being left at the altar was evaporating, entirely consumed by the blinding rage of being conned. Tyler hadn't just broken her heart; he had financially ruined her father to buy himself time.

“What airport?” Maddie demanded.

“O’Hare,” Connor said. “But their flight leaves at midnight, Maddie. You’ll never stop them in time. The police are already looking, but he’s using fake IDs.”

Maddie looked at the clock on the wall. 10:15 PM.