Ruby lunged at him and yanked his arm as if she had lost her mind. "Say it!"
Backed into a corner, Ryan forced out the words. "Elise is my wife. I'm sorry. I never should have done any of this."
The crowd exploded.
Ruby collapsed. Sobbing, she struck his chest again and again. "Then what am I? Ryan, how could you do this to me?"
Suddenly remembering something, she clutched his arm. "No. We have a marriage certificate. You married me legally."
Ryan did not dare look at her. After a long silence, he choked out, "The certificate is fake."
Ruby's legs gave way. She crumpled to the floor and wailed.
"Fake? You gave me a wedding gift. You gave me a wedding. You knelt before my parents' graves, and now we have a child. After all that, you're telling me the certificate was fake?
"Ryan Cart
