---- Chapter 12 Ethan wasn't done. As Liam and | tried to resume our dance, to reclaim the moment, Ethan made one last, desperate lunge. He broke free from his parents, rushing towards the small dais where the band was playing. He grabbed the microphone. "Ava! Don't do it! Marry ME! I'm the groom! This is a mistake!" His voice, amplified, echoed through the hall, raw and frantic. Liam stepped forward, his expression cold. "Ethan, you're making a fool of yourself. Security!" Two guards moved towards Ethan. Liam turned to me, his voice gentle but firm, loud enough for those nearby to hear. "Ava, my love. You know my heart. It has been yours for years. He offers chaos and lies. | offer you my life, my loyalty, my unwavering love. Tell me, my wife, who do you choose?" His words, so direct, so full of quiet confidence and deep affection, cut through the noise and confusion. | looked at Liam, truly looked at him. At his steadfastness, his integrity, the genuine love shining in his eyes. Then | looked at Ethan, wild-eyed, desperate, a man unraveling. The choice was so clear, it wasn't even a choice anymore. | walked towards Liam. | took his hand, the one with his wedding band. | brought it to my lips and kissed his ring. Then, ---- | took my own ring, the one he had placed on my finger, and held it up for everyone to see. "| choose my husband," | said, my voice clear and strong. "I choose Liam Carter." | then turned to Liam and, on impulse, reached up and kissed him, a deep, passionate kiss that left no doubt about my feelings, my commitment. It was a kiss of love, of promise, of a new beginning. When we broke apart, | was breathless, leaning against him for support. He held me close, his eyes blazing with a fierce, possessive joy. Liam looked over my shoulder at Ethan, a triumphant, dismissive glint in his eyes. "She has made her choice, little brother. You are irrelevant." Ethan stared, his face ashen. The fight completely drained out of him. He looked broken. Utterly and completely broken. His parents, Eleanor and Richard, moved towards him. This time, there was no gentleness. Eleanor slapped him, hard, across the face. Richard grabbed his arm, his face a mask of cold fury. "You have shamed us enough,' Richard bit out. Ethan stumbled, then seemed to collapse, his eyes rolling back. He crumpled to the floor, unconscious. Chaos erupted again, but of a different kind. Medical personnel were summoned. Liam shielded me from the scene, turning me away. "Let's go," he said quietly. "This is our day." He led me from the reception hall, away from the drama, away ---- from Ethan's wreckage. Ethan woke up in a hospital, the sterile scent a harsh reality. Chloe Davis was by his side, her face etched with concern. She'd been summoned by his parents. "Ethan? Oh my god, what happened? Your parents said you collapsed at the wedding! Are you okay?" Ethan's head throbbed. His heart ached with a pain so profound it felt physical. He looked at Chloe, her innocent, worried face. He didn't answer her questions. Instead, he asked, his voice raspy, "The wedding... Ava and Liam... Did they...?" He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.