Aleeza Houghton had been deliberately excluded from the wedding long before the invitations went out. Her name was never printed, her address never entered, her existence treated as a liability rather than a relation. The decision had been quiet but firm—made in boardrooms and private calls, justified as “protecting the day” and “avoiding complications.” Aleeza knew exactly what that meant. She knew what parts of the past they were afraid she might speak aloud.

So when the wedding day arrived, her absence was expected, even relied upon. Security had been instructed to watch for disruptions, not for her. No one truly believed she would dare cross that line—show up uninvited, challenge the image so carefully curated.

But Aleeza came anyway.

She didn’t arrive in a rush or in disguise. She walked in openly, took a seat among strangers, and waited with the patience of someone who understood timing better than manners. She hadn’t come to reconcile, or to beg for inclusion. She had come for one reason only: to object. To interrupt the ceremony at the one moment tradition allowed no dismissal, no spin, no quiet removal without consequence.

Her presence wasn’t an accident or an emotional impulse—it was intentional. Being uninvited was the proof she needed that the truth was still dangerous. And if they were willing to erase a mother to protect a marriage, then Aleeza Houghton was more than willing to break protocol to remind them why.

(It’s been a while since I uploaded anything and genuinely interacted on here, hopefully I can get back to uploading characters more frequently)