The Bride's Cliffside Gambit

"Clara, your nephew tore Daphne's veil with a drone!" Daphne's mother, Mrs. Beaumont, stormed over, her face livid.

Biting my lip against the pain, I told her coldly, "Mrs. Beaumont, half an hour ago, your daughter was threatening to jump off a cliff. I was the one who convinced Caleb to go to her. In a way, I saved her life."

I paused, my gaze sharp as a shard of glass. "And let's not forget that twenty years ago, it was my father's architectural designs that saved your family's business from bankruptcy. When do you plan on repaying that debt?"

The color drained from Mrs. Beaumont's face. She opened her mouth to argue, but the judgmental stares of the surrounding guests silenced her.

I turned to Noah, the pain in my abdomen intensifying with each breath. "Noah, call an ambulance."

Noah immediately pulled out his phone.

Caleb was clearly startled. "What's wrong? I barely touched you."

"She's just putting on a show," Daphne sneered. "Looking for sympathy."

Caleb's frown deepened. "Is that true, Clara? I don't appreciate these games."

Just then, Daphne suddenly clutched her neck, her breathing growing ragged as she let out a pained gasp. "I… I think I'm having an allergic reaction… I can't breathe…"

She collapsed to the ground.

Caleb instantly forgot I existed, rushing to scoop her into his arms and yelling, "A doctor! Get a doctor!"

He carried Daphne through the crowd, his face a mask of frantic worry.

The medical helicopter arrived quickly.

Before I could say a word, Daphne's mother shrieked and ran toward the paramedics. "Doctor, save my daughter!"

Then, someone roughly shoved me aside. I looked up angrily to see Caleb holding Daphne.

"Clara, you fell," he stated, his voice devoid of emotion. "Daphne is in anaphylactic shock. They're not the same thing."

"Let her take the helicopter. I'll have my driver take you to the hospital."

The pain in my abdomen was becoming unbearable. I shook my head. "No! I need a doctor now!"

Daphne's mother rushed up to me and slapped me hard across the face. "You selfish bitch! How dare you fight my daughter for the helicopter!"

Caleb avoided my gaze. "Mrs. Beaumont is just worried, Clara. Be the bigger person."

And with that, he carried Daphne past me and onto the helicopter.

As the roar of the rotor blades faded into the distance, I collapsed to the ground in agony.

The next moment, someone pointed at my legs and screamed in horror, "Oh my God, she's bleeding! Look at all the blood!"