Alice’s mom rushed over, her face pale. “What’s happening?” she asked, her voice shaky.
“I don’t know,” Alice stammered, fear tightening her chest. “Dad thinks Kevin’s not who he says he is.”
Moments later, there was a loud crash from the basement. Alice’s heart leapt. “Dad!”
“He’s trying to escape!” her dad yelled.
The sound of shattering glass followed, and then Kevin scrambled through the broken basement window, fleeing into the night.
“Kevin’s getting away!” Alice’s mom cried, panic in her voice.
Sirens blared in the distance as the police arrived. But by the time they entered the house, Kevin had vanished.
When Alice’s dad emerged from the basement, his face was grim. “We need to talk,” he said, looking at Alice seriously.
“Why did you lock him up?” Alice demanded, tears streaming down her face.
Her dad sighed heavily. “Years ago, a man conned someone close to me. He tricked her, took her money, and disappeared. His name wasn’t Kevin—it was Ryan. When I saw him today, I recognized him immediately.”
“Ryan?” Alice whispered, struggling to process it all.
“Yes,” her dad confirmed. “He’s a wedding scammer, Alice. I couldn’t let him hurt you.”
Alice stood there, stunned. Kevin—or rather, Ryan—had been lying to her all along. The police took statements and began searching for him, but he had disappeared without a trace. As the shock of the evening settled in, Alice’s world felt like it had crumbled.
Back inside, her mom gently hugged her. “We’re here for you, sweetheart,” she whispered.
Alice held onto her parents, overwhelmed by their love and protection. They sat down to eat, though the lasagna had long gone cold. It wasn’t the dinner Alice had envisioned, but she knew one thing for sure—she would never take her family’s support for granted again.