An elderly woman in the second row wiped her eyes.
But others exchanged mocking smiles.
Then it was Gabriel’s turn.
He took a deep breath and held Elise’s hands.
“Elise, when you came into my life, I was going through the darkest period I had ever experienced.”
His voice was low but steady.
“I had lost my home, my stability, and almost every reason to believe that things could get better.”
He looked into her eyes.
“People walked past me without even looking at my face. Some treated me as though I didn’t exist.”
Elise tightened her grip on his hands.
“But you were different,” Gabriel continued. “You spoke to me with kindness. You listened when nobody else wanted to hear my story.”
He smiled faintly.
“You never asked how much money I had. You only wanted to know what kind of man I was.”
For a moment, the church fell silent.
Then a man’s voice came from somewhere near the back.
“Beautiful words. Too bad they won’t put a roof over their heads.”
A few guests laughed.
Someone else whispered, “Let’s see how long this marriage lasts.”
Gabriel heard them.
Every word.
His expression changed.
He stopped speaking and slowly looked around the church.
Elise felt his fingers tense.
Her heart sank.
She was terrified that the humiliation had finally become too much for him.
For one terrible second, she wondered whether Gabriel might walk away from the altar.
But he didn’t.
Instead, he gently released her hands and turned toward the pastor.
“Excuse me, Pastor,” he said calmly. “Before we continue, may I address everyone here?”
The pastor looked surprised.
“Of course, son.”
Gabriel glanced toward the microphone standing beside the wooden lectern.
“There’s something I’ve never explained publicly. And I believe today is the right time.”
The pastor nodded and stepped aside.
Gabriel walked slowly toward the microphone.
His old shoes echoed against the stone floor.
