""A storybook wedding" is how Dixie described the elegantly decorated chapel. Marian thanked Dixie for her kind words but said that wedding was nothing like a fairytale. In the stories there is always a bride and a groom---something that this wedding was sorely missing! Stuart tried to calm down his jittery wife, but Marian was far too frazzled for even Stuart to calm. Hayley stepped in to assured Marian that everything would be okay. Marian smiled gingerly and thanked Hayley for her support. In the front of the chapel, the reverend looked anxiously at his watch. Just a few yards away, Ryan paced back and firth nervously. Hayley approached her friend and asked him what was bothering him. For Ryan, the chapel brought back a lot of memories. He stated that he hadn't been back to the chapel since he and Gillian had gotten married, a marriage he referred to as "a lost cause from the beginning." In the back, Erica slowly strolled into the chapel. Hayley had a Wildwind chapel horror story of her own. She told Ryan that on the night that she and Mateo were to have renewed their wedding vows a "tornado" by the name of Raquel ripped into town. Erica, who had been unobserved up until this moment, slowly walked towards Dixie and asked why the chapel was so empty. Dixie puckered her lips and informed Erica that Adam, Tad, and Jake had run off when she mentioned that Liza was at Chandler Mansion chatting with David. "If you'll excuse me," said Erica turning and dashing out of the chapel. Dixie again was left to wonder what was so peculiar about David and Liza having a chat. The next to arrive was Gillian, who watched unhappily as Ryan and Hayley laughed and joked with one another. She turned to walk away, but Scott caught her and asked her if she'd like to videotape a message for the bride and groom. Gillian turned quite serious and repeatedly mentioned that marriage is a very special thing. Ryan caught sight of Gillian, but said nothing to her. Hayley approached him and told him that he should go and talk to Gillian. "She's better off without me," Ryan grumbled. Hayley rolled her eyes and demanded that Ryan "stop being a jerk."
Jack dropped by Brooke's office at Tempo to let her know that he'd arrived back in Pine Valley. The former district attorney had taken an extended vacation in Seattle to visit with Travis and family and Kit. Jack said that he believes Kit has a good chance at rebuilding her life in Washington. Brooke offered that she thought it was unfortunate that Kit felt she needed to remain away from Pine Valley. Jack concurred, but noted that for many townspeople Kit was attached to too many unpleasant memories. "Memories fade," responded Brooke philosophically. Perhaps, she said, Kit can return to town one day. Kit sent along a gift for Brooke: a crystal shamrock with a note saying that "friends are the best luck" that someone can have. Before Jack could leave, Brooke asked him for a little advice on a "legal, diabolical" way to get rid of someone. The mere usage of the phrase caused Jack to cringe. Brooke told him that she wanted to undo Vanessa Bennett---the sooner the better. She carefully detailed all of Vanessa's evil deeds. Jack was surprised that Brooke, of all people, would care about Erica's well being. Brooke smiled and admitted that her concern was a bit odd. She said that she didn't want to see someone like Vanessa Bennett take advantage of Erica at a time when she was already down. She urged Jack to have a talk with Erica, but Jack didn't think that anything he could say to Erica would help. He mentioned that he was still owed a few favors and offered to call around to see if anyone had "the goods" on Vanessa.
Alone in Erica's house, Vanessa continued to do what she does so well---snoop. She carefully thumbed through Erica's desk draw stopping only to read a letter that Bianca had written to her mother. The letter spawned yet another idea for Vanessa's tell-all book. "Sweet, innocent girl driven to starvation by her ego-driven mother," Vanessa purred evilly. She stopped and quickly tidied things up when someone rang the doorbell. Like a welcomed guest, Vanessa sashayed to the front door and greeted the visitor. Vanessa instantly recognized Palmer Cortlandt and told him that it was a great pleasure to finally meet him. Palmer had dropped by to meet with Erica who, he said, had called and asked to meet with him. Vanessa told Palmer that she'd met his wife on several occasions. "Ex-wife," corrected Palmer. Vanessa bowed her head and said that it must hurt Palmer very much to be divorced from Opal. On the contrary, Palmer said that he was "delighted to be rid of her." Vanessa laughed aloud at Palmer's comment. She then numbly mentioned that she never would have imagined that Palmer and Opal had anything in common. Common, said Palmer, was the operative word to describe his former wife. Again Vanessa chuckled. She stepped away from the doorway and invited the mogul into the house. She took a few seconds out to introduce herself as Erica's close friend and the mother of David Hayward. Vanessa dispensed some expensive French brandy for herself and Palmer and sat down to get better acquainted with Palmer. Vanessa told Palmer that she's followed his story for quite some time. She let it be known that she knew all about his modest upbringing in West Virginia, his founding of Cortlandt Electronics and subsequent fall, and then is Phoenix-life resurrection. Palmer was impressed and mistakenly assumed that Vanessa was also "in the business." Vanessa shook her head and explained that she reads the business section of the paper every day no matter what town she's staying in. Palmer was likewise impressed that Vanessa was a world traveler. Palmer then snidely remarked that Opal never got past the comics page in the paper. The pair found out that they shared some mutual friends in New England and Long Island. Vanessa played up her supposed friendship with Erica and agreed with Palmer that Erica's accident was a horrible tragedy. Palmer told Vanessa that he wanted to speak to Erica about convincing Opal to give him more visitation privileges with Peter. Vanessa swore that she'd give the message to Erica. Palmer seemed quite taken with Vanessa and Vanessa, who will apparently go to great lengths to secure an eligible and wealthy bachelor, had her eyes on Palmer. Before leaving, Palmer told Vanessa that he'd like for her to join him for dinner one night. Vanessa told him that she was staying at The Valley Inn and welcomed the chance to dine with him.
With Palmer supposedly on a visit to see Erica, a visit that looked more and more like a wild goose chase, Opal called an emergency meeting of the board of Cortlandt Electronics. Opal was dismayed that the company's stock continued on a downward trend. Belinda and Trevor sat next to Opal and assured her that things would get better soon---especially after looking at the proposal that she was presenting to the board. The meeting, which took place entirely off camera, yielded the results that Opal was looking for. Later, Palmer wandered into the boardroom and demanded to know what was going on. Opal explained that she'd called a meeting. As CEO, Palmer said that no meeting could be held without his presence. That, said Opal, was one of the reasons for the meeting. She informed her former husband that the board had just voted to explore the possibilities of selecting a new CEO. Palmer chuckled to himself and said that it was foolish to even consider the idea that someone else could replace him. "Everyone can be replaced," Opal replied frigidly. Palmer reminded those in attendance that he'd been the one to build up Cortlandt Electronics---not once but twice! Opal acknowledged that Palmer had been a valuable asset to the company in the past. Now, however, it was time for a change. Palmer thought it laughable that Opal could even imagine herself as the company's new CEO. Opal bowed her head bashfully and said that she definitely was not cut out for the job---but she knew someone who was. The door opened and a finely dressed Adrian entered the room. He greeted Palmer, but Palmer's response was a fit of hysterical laughter. At Chandler Mansion, Adam confronted a security guard for not having stopped David at the front gate. The guard said that no one had seen David. Then and only then did Adam realize that David must have gained access to the house via the underground tunnels.
Upstairs, Liza was definitely not in the mood for any of David's games. She accused him of concocting more lies to try to put a stop to her wedding. David swore that what he was about to say was not a lie. David rambled on and on about the meaning of the month of August. He then asked Liza what she was doing last August. Liza thought for several minutes before listing tasks she'd accomplished at WRCW, the painting of her loft, and getting pregnant with Colby. The order in which she'd listed them made the conception seem like more of an afterthought. Adam, Jake, and Tad suddenly burst into the room. Adam asked Liza if David had done anything to hurt her. A confused Liza shook her head and demanded to know why the three men had stormed into the room like gangbusters. Adam ordered everyone out of the room so that he could speak to David in private. Jake refused to leave. Adam started falling apart. A look of dire consequence swept over his face. He pleaded with Jake to take Colby and Liza out of the room. Jake ultimately agreed as did Liza and Tad. After the door closed behind them, David applauded Adam's performance. He asked Adam how long he believed that he could keep the truth from coming out. To that Adam let loose with the news that he had something to hold over David. David didn't flinch. Adam warned David that they could end up as neighbors in jail if he decided to tell Liza the truth about what happened at the fertility clinic. Adam told David that he knew about his affair with Gillian. David chuckled and responded that there were not enough free jail cells to lock up everyone who's had an affair. Adam nodded in agreement. There were, however, cells to lock up those that aided and abetted a fugitive in his flight from the justice system. Adam slowly and calculatedly informed David that he knew about the money he'd given to Gillian and Ryan. After Adam finished spilling what he had on David, David burst into uproarious laughter. David reminded Adam that Ryan and been cleared of all the charges against him. Therefore, he said, he had not aided and abetted anyone. He then claimed that he'd only given the Laveries the money because he wanted to help an innocent man escape an unjust legal system. At most, David said that he'd be slapped with a sentence of needing to perform community service. Adam refused to relent, hinting that his "medical license would be up for grabs." David doubted that his license would be revoked. Since all else had failed, Adam issued yet another threat to the cardiologist. If he did tell Liza the truth, somehow, someday he'd track David down and kill him. Still David was surprisingly calm. He said that to see the look on the wedding guests' faces when he dropped his bombshell might just make Adam's death sentence worthwhile.
Downstairs, Jake couldn't understand how Liza could be so calm. Liza explained that she trusted Adam and knew that he was doing what was in her best interest. David walked solemnly down the staircase and said that he was glad to see that everyone was still there. He then looked towards Jake and told him that he might want to pour himself a drink before he broke the news. Suddenly, Erica walked into the room. She looked coldly at David and for the first time David looked shaken. Erica urged David to continue on with what he was "so eager to tell them." She accused David of "enjoying the anticipation and toying with [his] victims." Still she was not done. "Go on and ruin more lives the way you ruined mine," she said softly yet coldly. "Show us the depth of your evil.""
- Soap Central
