The moment Calvin stepped onto the stage, the entire reception hall snapped to attention. Minutes earlier, the room buzzed with whispered judgments—why would a maid marry a man they believed had nothing? Some guests hid their smirks behind champagne glasses. Others didn’t bother hiding at all.
But when Calvin reached for the microphone, the energy shifted. Silence fell so fast it felt like the air tightened.
From the front row, my hands shook against the fabric of my dress. I had heard every cruel assumption—about him, about me, about the life we were building. I feared their words would finally crush him.
Instead, Calvin straightened his shoulders and spoke with a calm that cut through the room.
“I know many of you are wondering why Tessa chose me,” he began. “Why she married a man you assume has nothing to offer.”
A ripple went through the crowd. No one dared speak.
“I’m aware of the things said behind my back,” he continued. “And honestly? If I looked at myself from the outside years ago, I might have believed them too.”
Continue reading on next page…