Ulmea walked ahead, her bag in one hand and her eyes scanning the group.
"Why does it feel like I missed something?" she asked, her eyes moving from one cheerful face to another.
Flossy jumped from her seat and bounced towards Ulmea, her face beaming with joy.
"Yes, you did!! You missed it all!"
Liora nodded from the couch with a wide smile.
"Come sit. You'll want to hear this properly," she said.
Alex flopped back on the couch dramatically and said, grinning. "Oh, there she is! The last person in the house to find out."
Ulmea raised a brow and asked. "Find out what?"
"Your brother, Riley Aldric, is getting married," her mom, Helya Wystan, added.
Ulmea froze, surprised. "Wait, What?!"
Riley's mom, Lyra Altan, finally spoke. "To Fiora! We went to ask for her hand today."
Ulmea blinked. "Fiora Lysen??"
"Yeah, my niece," Aunt Lyra replied.
Ulmea sat down slowly. "I mean… I knew there were talks… but this fast?"
Liora shrugged playfully. "When it's right, it's right."
Ulmea turned to her mother. "You all went today?"
Helya nodded. "Your father, Altan, Aslan, I, and your aunt all went. Fiora's mother was really happy. It was a good meeting."
"Wow," Ulmea said softly. "Riley and Fiora."
Alex gave a dramatic nod. "Some matches really do make sense."
Ulmea smiled. "Yeah. They do."
Lyra, who had been listening quietly, added with a gentle voice, "If Fiora's father were alive… he would've been so happy today."
Everyone fell silent for a second, not sad, just thoughtful.
Then Liora spoke again, softly, "He would've liked this match too. He always said Fiora should marry someone kind."
For a moment, no one said anything.
Then Ulmea glanced down at her hands.
"Just like that," she murmured, "people leave. And everything keeps moving."
Her mother gave a quiet nod. "That's how this world is. No one stays forever. But we try to make the days matter."
Liora leaned back slightly, her voice calm. "We remember. And we keep going. That's all we can do."
Alex, never one for deep thoughts, muttered from the couch, "Okay, now you all sound like a sad movie."
Flossy giggled. "You're just mad because they didn't ask you to get married."
Everyone laughed, and just like that, the heaviness in the room had lifted.
"When's the wedding?" Ulmea asked softly, almost to herself.
Riley walked into the room just then, his sleeves rolled, face still glowing from the afternoon.
"1st of next month," Riley spoke, smiling.
Flossy clapped her hands, eyes wide with excitement."That's so close!"
Alex groaned. "Great. Now they'll make us dance."
Riley laughed. "Oh, you will dance. No escaping it."
Ulmea smiled as she looked around the room. Everyone seemed brighter somehow, like joy had quietly slipped in and filled all the corners.
She slipped off her shoes and made her way to the couch, placing her bag down beside her.
Liora handed her a sweet, the silver foil catching the light. Ulmea unwrapped it slowly and popped it into her mouth. It was soft and warm, the sugar melting gently on her tongue.
She leaned back into the cushions, letting the voices and laughter fill the air around her.
Riley was teasing Alex. Flossy had already started talking about dresses.
Ulmea stayed quiet, just listening, just watching.
Something about today felt different.
___
And, just like that, the day of the wedding arrived.
Everyone in the house was getting ready. Clothes were being taken out of covers, hairdryers were running behind closed doors, and soft music was playing from someone's phone in the hallway.
They had around two hours left before they had to leave for the hotel, where the event would be held. That's where they would welcome all the guests.
Ulmea stood in front of her mirror, straightening the soft folds of her dress. The room behind her was a mess: shoes scattered near the chair, jewelry boxes open, a brush left on the table.
Liora peeked in from the doorway. "You ready yet?"
"Almost," Ulmea said, turning slightly. "Is everyone else losing their minds too, or just me?"
"Everyone," Liora grinned. "Mom's fixing Dad's tie for the third time, and Alex is pretending he doesn't need to iron his shirt."
Ulmea laughed. "Flossy?"
"She's been ready since sunrise."
Downstairs, the house was busy but not chaotic. Riley stood near the living room, already dressed in a sharp suit, hair neat, shoes polished. He looked calm, but his fingers kept tapping against his phone.
Aslan was helping his father, Altan, with the last few arrangements. He adjusted the collar of his father's shirt and made a quick call to confirm the timing with the hotel.
Ulmea's mother, Helya, walked in holding a list. "Shoes, gifts, extra safety pins, snacks for the kids, okay, nothing left behind."
Riley glanced at her with a smile. "Aunt, you've planned this like a mission."
She raised a brow. "It is a mission. Let's try to arrive before the bride's side does."
Aslan ended the call with the hotel and slipped his phone back into his pocket. He turned to his father and helped smooth down the front of his shirt, adjusting a cuff that had folded the wrong way.
"There, Dad," he said. "Now you look like the host of the century."
Altan gave a light smile, patting Aslan's shoulder.
Aslan was about to head toward the living room when his phone buzzed again.
He stepped aside to answer it.
"Hello?"
A pause. His expression changed, just a little. Serious now.
"Yeah… I'll be there. Just give me fifteen minutes."
He ended the call and turned back toward the living room, where the rest of the family was still checking last-minute details and fixing outfits.
"I have to step out for a bit," he said casually, trying not to worry anyone. "Something urgent came up at the office."
Ulmea looked up from helping Flossy with her bracelet. "Right now?"
"There's still time before the reception," Aslan assured her. "I'll be back before then, don't worry."
Altan looked over from where he was tying a ribbon onto a gift box. "Who was it?"
Aslan slipped his phone into his pocket. "Just someone from the office. They need a quick signature on something."
Altan raised an eyebrow. "Now? You have to go all the way there?"
"Yeah," Aslan nodded, keeping his tone light. "It won't take long. Don't worry, Dad. I'll be back before the guests even arrive."
Altan didn't ask more questions. He went back to tying the ribbon, but a small frown showed on his face.
Aslan gave a small smile. He grabbed his car keys from the side table and stepped out, the front door clicking shut behind him.
___
Aslan stepped out of the car, parking just outside the office gate. The building looked normal at first glance, but the two police vans, the tension inside was evident from the way they stood by the side.
He walked in quickly, pushing open the glass door. The receptionist gave him a nervous glance and nodded toward the stairs. "They're in the main office."
Aslan didn't pause. He took the steps two at a time, reaching the second floor.
Outside his office, his assistant, Caleb, stood pacing. The moment he saw Aslan, he rushed over.
"Boss! I tried to stop them, but they had a warrant. Someone reported a major issue in the accounts. They said it was anonymous, but they came straight here."
"What issue?" Aslan asked sharply.
"They're saying funds were moved through one of our client accounts that flagged a fraud alert. They think someone in the team might be involved. I tried calling you earlier, but maybe your phone was on silent."
Aslan nodded, jaw tight. "Where are they now?"
"Inside the conference room. They asked for files and backup data. I gave them limited access. I stalled as much as I could."
Aslan entered the room calmly. Inside were two officers, a plainclothes investigator, and a laptop opened with files laid across the table.
"Mr. Anders?" one of the officers asked.
"Yes. I just got the call. What's the issue exactly?"
"We received a report of suspicious transactions through your firm. We're investigating potential financial mismanagement. You'll need to cooperate fully."
Aslan stayed professional, but inside, his head was racing. There wasn't enough time for this. Not today.
He checked the wall clock. Only 40 minutes left before the wedding reception.
Back at home, the family had started calling.
First Riley. Then Liora. Then Ulmea.
Each call went unanswered. Aslan's phone had powered off earlier, the battery was dead from calls, and it had no power.
The family was growing tense.
"Why isn't he picking up?" Flossy asked, checking her phone again.
"Maybe his phone died," Liora offered, but even she didn't sound convinced.
Ulmea looked worried. "He said he'd be back. He promised."
Wystan stood up and grabbed his keys from the shelf. "You all go ahead to the hotel. I'll check on him."
Altan looked up. "You sure?"
Wystan nodded. "Yeah. Something's not right. I'll take the bike. You go ahead with the others."
The rest of the family climbed into the cars, dresses rustling, makeup cases closing, lists being re-checked. But in the back of everyone's mind was the same quiet question:
Where was Aslan?
Wystan started the motorbike, the engine revving low as he pulled out of the driveway and turned toward the office.
He had a bad feeling. And as he neared the office gates, it only grew stronger. He parked quickly, pushed open the glass doors, and then stopped. Just ahead, through the hallway glass, he saw officers standing, files in hand. A laptop screen glowed in the dim room. One officer turned slightly, noticing the movement outside.
Wystan's breath caught.
Then another sound cut through the quiet, sharp and commanding.
A voice.
"Aslan Anders!"
Not just loud, it was a voice that made people freeze. It was the kind that came with consequences.
Wystan took a step forward, heart pounding.
Something was wrong. Deeply wrong.