PART 3: The Unraveling of Truth
In the guest room, Katherine was sitting on the edge of the bed, her face buried in her hands. Frank stood near the window, looking deeply uncomfortable. When Grace entered, she gently asked Frank to leave them alone.
Grace sat beside the trembling bride. She didn't offer comfort immediately; she needed answers. "Katherine... Caleb told me everything. He knows about Beatrice. He knows about Dupont Logistics."
Katherine stiffened. She slowly raised her tear-stained face, her eyes filled not with guilt, but with a profound, crushing sorrow.
"I knew this day would come," Katherine whispered, her voice barely audible. "But he has it all wrong, Grace. I didn't hide my past to escape a crime. I hid it to survive."
"What do you mean?" Grace asked, her motherly instincts battling her sudden suspicion.
"My father was a monster," Katherine confessed, clutching the fabric of her wrinkled wedding dress. "He embezzled millions and blamed Beatrice's father. But I didn't help him, Grace! I discovered what my father was doing, and I was the one who leaked the documents to the press to stop him. When my father found out, he disowned me, beat me, and threatened to kill me. I changed my name and ran away with nothing to my name."
"But Caleb found emails," Grace pressed. "Emails from you threatening Beatrice."
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Katherine let out a bitter, heartbreaking laugh. "Those weren't from me. My father used my email account to threaten Beatrice's family, trying to make it look like I was the mastermind if the police ever investigated. I tried to warn Beatrice. I loved Beatrice—she was my classmate, my friend! I tried to tell her the truth, but my father intercepted me. By the time I escaped his house, Beatrice was already gone."
Katherine grabbed Grace's hands, her fingers icy cold. "I swear to you, Grace, on my soul, I loved Caleb. I didn't know he was Beatrice's ex-boyfriend. He approached me at the library. I thought God had finally given me a safe haven. But tonight... tonight he looked at me like he wanted to kill me."
