Carter
Carter grabbed another cocktail for the road as the guests filed into the large, historic hall for the reception. After that picture session, Carter wanted out of the tuxedo, and he wanted food and alcohol. There was a screen behind the DJ's booth that had pictures of Brandy and Fernando as children, and pictures of them taken during their short courtship and engagement.
During the speeches, during which Carter mentally counted down for the food to arrive, he watched Allie from across the room. She seemed anxious and was trying to maneuver through the crowd, toward the DJ's booth for some reason. Then he saw it—Stacy was at the microphone.
"Good evening, everyone," Stacy said, teary-eyed. "Though I have known Brandy only a few short months, she is such an inspiration. I hope to have a beautiful wedding just like hers, but I’m not sure if I can. As you know, Harris Holbrook and I recently found out we were blessed to be pregnant. It makes me so sad to have to say this though, but I have a confession to make. The baby isn't Harris's."
There were gasps in the audience. Carter snickered. Brandy looked furious.
Allie finally pushed her way to Stacy and grabbed the sleeve of her dress. Carter heard it rip.
"Of course it's not Harris's," Allie hissed. "I doubt the old drunk could even get it up."
Carter chuckled to himself. He didn't think Allie meant for people to hear that, but the microphone picked it up.
Stacy dabbed her eyes then leaned into the microphone. "No, the baby isn't Harris's. It's Carter Holbrook's."
"What the fuck!" Carter yelled out, the smile gone from his face. "Inever!"
He looked around. Everyone was staring at him.
Then there were more gasps as people pointed to the screen. Instead of the carefully curated photos of the newlyweds, there was grainy video footage of Stacy and Carter. He recognized one from his grandfather's apartment when Stacy tried to seduce him, and the other from the night Stacy had jumped into his bed in the Hamptons. Both looked damning, but they conveniently cut out before he threw her off of him.
"We were having an affair," Stacy said into the microphone, twisting her body so Allie couldn't tear it out of her grasp.
"No, we weren't!" Carter shouted. "Allie, tell them!"
"He was very drunk," Stacy continued.
"Stacy, stop lying!" Allie screamed.
Carter was mortified. This wasn't happening. Allie finally wrestled the microphone from Stacy then practically dragged her friend out of the dining room.
Grant grabbed Carter by the upper arm and ushered him out as well.
"Get her out of here!" Jack roared at Harris when they were all out in the hallway. "I never want to see that bitch again!"
"We have to keep Stacy around until we figure out whose baby it is," Nancy said tiredly.
"It's not mine!" Carter said, looking wildly at his family.
"Yes, it is!" Stacy said.
Harris didn't seem all that upset.
"If it is yours, Carter, I'll still raise it," Harris told him. "Can you believe it? Another Holbrook! Probably better yours than mine. You've got those young swimmers—"
"She. Is. Lying." Carter said emphatically.
"I bet she's telling the truth," Jack said coldly. "Carter is out of control."
"We can't know whose it is until we have a paternity test done," Nancy said.
"Why are you all even acting like this is a real thing?" Carter demanded.
"Because I know you," Jack sneered. "You're just like Walter—you make terrible decisions, and then you lie about it. It's Danielle all over again."
"Hey now," Walter said. "Let's all calm down—"
