Chloe: Howard, please, put the microphone down! It's our special day!
Howard: Is it your special day, Chloe? Or is it just another day for you to push people around?
Julian: Dad, what are you doing? You're embarrassing Chloe in front of all our family and friends!
Howard: Sit down, Julian. I've been quiet for six months, but I am not staying silent for another minute.
Julian took a step back, his face turning red as he looked between his bride and his father. The guests stopped sipping their champagne, a heavy silence falling over the garden.
Howard walked directly toward the edge of the stone fountain, extending his left hand down into the water.
Howard: Are you alright, young lady?
Maya: I... I think so. My ankle hurts a little bit.
Howard: Take my hand. Let me help you up out of there.
Maya took his hand, pulling herself over the slippery stone ledge. Water dripped onto the dry green grass as she stood trembling in her soaked purple uniform.
Chloe: Howard! You are helping the staff before your own daughter-in-law?! She almost ruined my designer dress!
Howard: That dress cost forty thousand dollars, Chloe. I know because I paid the invoice yesterday morning.
Chloe: Well... yes, but that doesn't mean she can splash water near me!
Howard: She tripped on an exposed sprinkler pipe that the venue forgot to mark. I watched the whole thing happen from the head table.
Maya: Thank you, sir. I really didn't mean to fall.
Howard: I know you didn't. You don't need to apologize to anyone here.
Chloe stepped forward, her expensive white lace gown bustling around her ankles as her cheeks flushed bright red with anger.
Chloe: Howard, this is completely out of line! This is supposed to be the best day of my life!
Howard: It was supposed to be a celebration of family. But all I've seen today is cruelty.
Julian: Dad, please! We can talk about this in private after the reception!
Howard: No, Julian. We are talking about it right now, in front of everyone whose respect you care so much about.
Howard raised the microphone back to his mouth, looking out over the crowd of two hundred guests.
Howard: Most of you know me as Howard Vance, the founder of Vance Logistics. You think my son is marrying into another wealthy family today.
Chloe: Howard, stop talking right now! I'm warning you!
Howard: You're warning me, Chloe? On my estate? Using my sound system?
Guest 1: What is he talking about? Isn't Chloe's father a partner at a corporate law firm?
Guest 2: That's what they said on the official wedding invitations.
Howard: Let's set the record straight for everyone sitting in these chairs.
Maya squeezed the excess water from her purple sleeves, standing beside the billionaire as he turned his stern gaze back to the bride.
Howard: Chloe's family didn't contribute a single penny to this estate, this catering, or that lace gown she is wearing.
Chloe: Julian! Make your father stop! He's ruining everything!
Julian: Dad, please, just lower the mic!
Howard: Shut your mouth, Julian, and listen for once in your life!