The wedding was moving forward far too fast. I didn’t like it, but it had to happen.

I was assigned to do one last round of security checks in the wedding venue before the wedding party, and the guests were coming in when I saw Sophia. She was standing up by the altar where the ceremony would be held, and she had something in her hands, something small and delicate.

“Put it down!” I commanded.

Immediately, she set the ring that she had been holding back on the ...