Page 115 of Before I Say I Don't
“Tell me something, though,” I said into the mic, my eyes cutting through him. “Is Viangelo even your real name? Are you really even a financial consultant—or was that just another lie you packaged up in a suit and tie?”
His jaw clenched, but he forced his voice steady. “Yes. That’s my real name. And yes, I’m a consultant. Everything I told you, everything I gave you, it was real.Wewere real.” Viangelo tried to soften his tone, glancing at the crowd like they’d cosign. “I loved you, Kamira. I still love you. Don’t let all this noise make you forget that. Don’t let them take what we built.”
Viangelo shook his head, desperation leaking into his words. “Yeah, I messed up. But that doesn’t erase what we had. You know me better than anybody. You know my heart. Don’t act like you don’t.”
The crowd shifted uneasily, some whispering, some rolling their eyes at his performance.
I tilted my head. “Your heart? Angelo, yourheartwas on tour with half this guest list. And let’s be clear—you didn’t ‘mess up’; you lied, cheated and conned. You built a whole life out of smoke and mirrors and thought nobody would notice. You call that love? That’s not love. That’s fraud with a bow on it. And today, the mask finally slipped.” I shook my head. “I thank God for the truth, even though it didn’t come from you. This just goes to show, you were never my forever. You were a very expensive lesson… a thief of my time, to put it bluntly. Today, all your lies and deceit finally caught up with you… and maybe there’s more still hiding. But today I also realized the same thing Beyoncé learned. I dodged a bullet and the best thing I ever did was notend up marrying you.” I stepped closer, letting my words slice the silence. “And one day, you’ll wake up and realize I’m the best thing you’ll never have again.”
Phones shot up to capture the moment, voices overlapping in disbelief and cheers.
Renée tossed the marriage license at his feet. The paper landed face-up with his fake name and hers stamped in bold black ink.
“I could ask for a divorce,” she said, her voice icy, slicing through the murmurs of the onlookers. “But since you used a false identity, that constitutes fraud. Which means once a judge lays eyes on this—” she gestured emphatically to the certificate—“they’ll grant an annulmentimmediately. Oh, and the police? They’ll beveryinterested in this little stunt too. Fraud, false identity,almostbigamy—take your pick. Oh, and someone, not here today,willsee this, because I’m sure half of this room has recorded the whole damn thing! Hell, we’re probably on live right now! One way or another, you’re leaving here in handcuffs, whether by law or by lies catching up to you.”
Renée took one deliberate step closer, her voice rising like a battle cry. “This time, Renée White is gonna…win!” It rang out, reminiscent of Jennifer Hudson’s powerful voice in the movieDreamgirls.
With that, she turned on her heel, her stride purposeful and confident, and walked back up the aisle with the kind of poise only a woman with nothing left to lose could pull off.
“Wow,” I muttered, my voice just loud enough for the whole crowd to hear. “You reallyarethe scum of the fuckin’ earth. Ineverwant to see you again. I’ll have all your things sent to your mama’s doorstep. And if you eventhinkabout showing up to my place again, I’ll make sure you’re charged with trespassing, harassment, and whatever else I can stack on you. Try me if you want to. They don’t call me thegoatfor nothing. And just soyou’ll know I’m not singling you out—your mamaandsister will be escorted out with you. Get them out of here!”
“Kam, please! Don’t do this, baby! I can explain! I’ll change! I swear! Just give me one more—” Viangelo’s voice cracked, pathetic and desperate, but the guards didn’t loosen their hold.
Kendall didn’t say a word—not in her defense, not in her brother’s. Just silence.
Diane, though, wasn’t having it. She shot up out of her chair. “You can’t put me out! This ismyfamily, my son, my blood! You think you can embarrass us like this and just—” Her voice broke, shrill with rage, but nobody moved to back her up.
My gaze swept to Zaria. We exchanged a quiet, cordial look—an acknowledgment, not friendship, not forgiveness, just… understanding.
Danica stepped forward, snatching the mic from me before anyone else could even process what just happened.
She cleared her throat, flashing herI’m still unbotheredsmile to the crowd.
“Whew… well, folks,” she began, her tone smooth, like she was emceeing a corporate gala instead of a wedding gone nuclear. “That was… different. Not exactly what we had planned for today’s program, but here at Team Kamira, we are nothing if not adaptable.”
A few chuckles stirred through the room.
Danica turned to the crowd with mock-seriousness. “Again—yes… the reception isstillhappening. We paid for that hall, that DJ, and those hors d’oeuvres. Ain’t nobody getting a refund. We’ve got champagne chilling, a dance floor waiting, and if we’re being real, after this little soap opera, I think we all could us a drink.”
“Or five!” somebody yelled.
The laughter grew louder, people nodding in agreement.
“Since a few folks had to leave a little early,” Danica added slyly, “we’ll just make some quick edits to the seating chart… maybe move a few people to the far,farback.”
The crowd hollered, laughter bouncing off the walls.
Danica straightened her shoulders and slipped into fullwedding host mode.
“So here’s the plan. We’re gonna take about ten minutes to let everyone breathe, maybe collect a few wigs and egos off the floor, and then I’ll see all y’all in the reception hall! Because if there’s one thing we do around here… it’s celebrate! And if there’s one thing wedon’tdo… it’s let a lying-ass groom mess up the party!”
A couple of “Amens!” were thrown in for good measure.
“You good, baby?” Roman’s voice was low, calm… too calm for the mess swirling around us.
I exhaled slowly, still steadying myself. “I’m good. Shaken, but standing. And standing is enough for me right now.”
He nodded in understanding.
