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Marcus became the punchline.
He started screaming at us to get out.
I crossed my arms.
"Leave? You haven't stripped down and run three laps yet. Why would I go?"
His face went dark red.
"This is my wedding. If you don't leave now, I'm calling security."
I had never expected Marcus to keep his word.
"In that case, don't blame me for going further."
"You betrayed your fiancée and cancelled an engagement. We have all the documentation. It would be such a waste to keep it between just the people in this room."
"Much better to share it. Post it online. CC it to your line manager."
"Let everyone see exactly what kind of man breaks off an engagement because he wants to be with someone for free — someone who turned out to be a man."
"From what I understand, your firm takes its code of conduct rather seriously."
Marcus had been top of his cohort at university — the kind of person who'd worked his way up from nothing, passed every interview round, and spent his first years at the firm putting in sixteen-hour days to build something.
He'd been on track for a promotion before the end of the year. His parents mentioned it constantly.
So the moment I said it, Marcus went still.
Reid picked up the thread.
"If you're a man of your word, I respect that. I really do."
"Otherwise — I'm not in a hurry to go anywhere. My family has money. I have time. You'll find me very difficult to shake."
Marcus set his jaw. He started unbuttoning his shirt.
His parents, seeing where this was heading, turned and began ushering the remaining guests toward the exit.
"What are you all still standing around for? Move along!"
The guests moved — slowly. Very slowly.
Some turned to look back every few steps. Phones appeared.
Marcus kept a pocket square tucked around his waist and began running laps of the hotel lobby.
"I am a faithless rat. I am not fit to call myself a man."
"I am a faithless rat. I am not fit to call myself a man."
Over and over. Each loop louder than the last.
Gerald and Patricia followed close behind, hissing warnings at the remaining witnesses.
"Put those phones away. Not a word of this leaves this room, do you hear me? Not a word!"