Alyssa barely made it two steps down the aisle before Preston lunged.
He moved like a wild animal, his face twisted in panic and fury. He blocked her path, his hand shooting out to grab the phone she still held.
"Give me that!" he snarled, the veins in his neck bulging.
Alyssa sidestepped him. She grabbed a crystal flute of champagne from a stunned waiter's tray and threw the liquid directly into Preston's eyes.
Preston cursed, stumbling backward and clawing at his burning eyes. The guests in the front row openly laughed at his pathetic state.
Khloe rushed forward. She had dropped her hands, her face now twisted into a mask of desperate innocence. Tears spilled down her cheeks.
She held a glass of water, her hands trembling. "Alyssa, please, it's a misunderstanding! You're hysterical. Drink this, please calm down."
Khloe stepped directly in front of Alyssa, using her body to block the guests' view. Alyssa stared at her stepsister's fake tears. Her stomach churned with disgust. She raised her hand and slapped the glass away. The crystal shattered against the marble floor.
But Khloe didn't back down. She pulled a delicate lace handkerchief from her bridesmaid dress, stepping even closer. "You're sweating, you're not well," Khloe cooed, pressing the cloth suddenly and forcefully against Alyssa's nose and mouth.
A sharp, chemical sweetness invaded Alyssa's airways before she could jerk her head away.
In that exact second, two massive men in black suits flanked her.
Brenda stood behind them, her eyes cold. She gave them a sharp nod.
The bodyguards grabbed Alyssa's arms, their grips like iron vices.
"Let go of me!" Alyssa screamed, thrashing against them.
Brenda grabbed the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, please excuse us. The bride is suffering a severe pre-wedding breakdown. We are taking her to get medical help."
The guests murmured, exchanging uncomfortable glances, but no one stepped forward. It was a family matter.
Alyssa lifted her heel to stomp on the bodyguard's foot, but the room suddenly tilted.
A violent wave of dizziness crashed into her. Her vision doubled. The strength drained from her legs.
The drug on the handkerchief. It was terrifyingly fast.
The bodyguards tightened their hold, practically carrying her dead weight out of the ballroom doors.
They dragged her down a quiet hallway and threw her into a dimly lit, soundproof holding room.
Alyssa hit the carpet hard. Her shoulder throbbed, but her muscles refused to obey her brain. She couldn't push herself up.
The door clicked shut. Preston, Khloe, and Brenda stood over her. The masks were completely gone.
Preston wiped the sticky champagne from his face. He stepped forward and kicked Alyssa hard in the ribs. "You ruined me, you crazy bitch."
Alyssa groaned, curling into a ball as pain flared through her side.
Khloe crouched down. She dragged her sharp acrylic nail down Alyssa's cheek. "You always thought you were so smart."
"Enough," Brenda snapped. "Since she won't sign the papers, we have to liquidate her another way."
Alyssa fought to keep her eyes open. The room was spinning.
Brenda pulled out her phone and dialed a number. "Yes. The Strickland family. We accept the offer to clear the debt. Ten million. Send the transport."
Alyssa's eyes widened in pure horror.
Strickland.
Everyone in the city knew that name. It was a monster's den.
Brenda hung up and looked down at Alyssa with a cold smile. "You belong to the madman of the East Wing now. Have a nice honeymoon."
Preston's eyes gleamed with greed. He didn't look at Alyssa with an ounce of pity.
The drug pulled Alyssa under. Her breathing grew shallow. Her eyelids fluttered shut.
Just before the darkness took her completely, she bit the tip of her tongue, letting the sharp pain brand the hatred into her brain.
The door opened again. The bodyguards walked in carrying a massive, heavy-duty black canvas duffel bag.
They shoved Alyssa's limp body inside.
The harsh sound of the zipper closing echoed in the quiet room, plunging Alyssa into total darkness.
The bodyguard threw the bag over his shoulder and carried her out through the hotel's freight elevator.
Alyssa lost consciousness entirely, the vibrations of the elevator pulling her down into the abyss.
