"What are you doing?"
She only smiled, cold and slow, and then she let herself fall backward off the stage.
She hit the floor hard, the skin on her forehead splitting open.
Robert was off the platform in an instant, lifting her up, his eyes brimming with concern. "Maya, are you all right?"
Maya cradled her forehead, her face the picture of injury. "I was only trying to help you, trying to get her to stay. And she called me shameless and shoved me right off."
One by one, his groomsmen turned to look at me like I was their enemy. "Maya was trying to save you some dignity, and you push her? You don't know good from bad. You should be ashamed of yourself."
"I never would've guessed how calculating you are. Maya's the innocent one here. Robert, you owe her an explanation today."
The guests below craned their necks for a better look at the show.
"What's going on? Looks like the bride shoved that woman right off the stage."
"From that height? She was trying to kill her. No grudge is worth that."
"Right? The bride looks so sweet, you'd never think she had it in her."
I shook my head, came down off the stage, and pointed at Maya. "It wasn't me. I didn't do anything. She fell on her own."
Maya's eyes reddened, wounded. "Alma, I know you blame me. Say whatever you want. As long as you stop fighting this today, I'll take it. Say whatever you want about me."
"See how big-hearted Maya is? She's not one of those petty, jealous women who only knows how to tear another woman down."
"Exactly. Pushes someone and won't even own it. Truly, petty women and small-minded people are the hardest to deal with."
Robert's palm cracked across my face. He glared at me, his voice vicious. "I never knew you could be this cruel. You actually dared to push Maya. Get down on your knees and apologize to her right now, or I will never forgive you."
I held my cheek and looked at him, at a man who didn't trust me for a second, and I knew then that choosing not to marry him was the best decision I'd ever made.
A man like this wasn't worth marrying.
"I did nothing wrong. Why should I kneel and apologize?"
"If you want the truth, check the security footage. I will not apologize for something I never did."
The moment I mentioned the security footage, a flicker of guilt crossed Maya's eyes. She clutched her head and made to leave. "Forget it. Today's just my bad luck. Let's not throw everyone into a panic over this. I fell on my own. I'll chalk it up to bad luck."
Watching her limp away, Robert pulled her into his arms, his voice aching. "Maya, don't go. I believe you. I'll make this right for you."
"That's right. She owes Maya an explanation."
The groomsmen worked themselves into righteous fury. "Alma needs to be taught a lesson."
Only then did a trace of triumph surface on Maya's face.
Robert turned to me, cold. "Alma. Kneel. Bow your head."
"Not a chance."
I refused flat out, and the answer was a slap, louder than the first.
His eyes were as cold as a stranger's. "Don't make me say it again. Kneel."
"Alma, when you do wrong, you pay for it. No one around me hurts Maya and walks away without paying."
Then someone kicked the back of my knee. I pitched forward and crashed down onto the floor, the pain shooting through my kneecaps so sharp the color drained from my face.
I struggled to get up, and his groomsmen held me down.
"Let go of me. I did nothing wrong. I will never apologize."
Smack!
Robert struck me twice more. "You won't bow your head nicely? Then we'll help you."
"What do you think you're—"
I never finished. They forced my head down toward the floor, again and again, slamming it hard against the ground.
