My groom slapped me in front of four hundred guests because I refused to repeat the vows he had written. His mother laughed and said, “Now she’ll learn obedience.” I wiped the blood from my split lip, removed my ring, and handed the microphone to the woman in the front row. “Detective,” I said calmly, “you may play the recording now.” The groom’s smile vanished when his voice filled the cathedral. - True Stories

The rehearsal dinner was held in the vaulted dining hall attached to the grand cathedral. Four hundred guests drank top-shelf champagne while a string quartet played softly in the background. It looked like a fairytale. It was a crime scene.

Inside the silk lining of my evening bag rested a state-of-the-art police transmitter. Across the street, Alvarez and her team were listening to every clinking glass and hollow laugh.

Midway through the dinner, Evan grabbed my arm, his grip bruising.

“Come with me. My mother wants a private word before dessert.”

He led me away from the crowd, down a dimly lit stone corridor, and into the cathedral’s private administrative office. Lucinda was already inside, sitting behind a heavy oak desk like a mafia boss. Evan locked the door behind us.

He walked over to a side table, poured himself a glass of expensive bourbon, and turned to face me.

“Tomorrow is the big day, darling,” Evan said, taking a sip. “Are you ready to be a good wife?”

“I’m ready for this to be over,” I said, keeping my voice steady, ensuring my evening bag was angled toward them.

Lucinda slid a crisp piece of paper across the desk. “Before the ceremony tomorrow, we have a minor detail to address. Evan has written a few... personalized vows for you to read at the altar.”

I picked up the paper. It wasn't just romantic fluff. It was a total submission.

“You want me to promise obedience?” I asked, forcing a tremor of fear into my voice for the microphone. “You want me to surrender my board vote publicly?”