Chapter 14 - THE WEDDING BILLS
Canceling the wedding cost money.
A lot.
Deposits lost.
Vendor disputes.
A custom venue contract.
Dress alterations.
Catering minimums.
No court magically erased them because the bride assaulted a child.
Some contracts had cancellation clauses.
Some did not.
We divided responsibility through civil negotiation.
Expenses I had knowingly approved:
I paid my share.
Unauthorized upgrades Ainsley ordered alone:
hers.
Joint nonrefundable deposits:
split according to contract and settlement.
The engagement ring created its own argument.
State law treated it as a conditional gift in our circumstances.
Marriage did not occur.
I requested return.
Ainsley returned it voluntarily.
I sold it later.
Not for revenge.
The money reimbursed a portion of canceled wedding costs and then went back into my savings.
I did not give it to Eira.
Children do not need symbolic jewelry economies.
Ainsley declared bankruptcy two years later.
Not because I destroyed her.
Because her debts already exceeded her ability to pay.
Bankruptcy discharged some.
Not restitution to Eira.
Certain obligations survived.
She rebuilt slowly.
Important.
Consequences do not require permanent financial death.
I heard she took a job at an event-management company.
Lower salary.
Regular hours.
No luxury image.
For a while, I was glad.
Then ashamed of being glad.
May you like
Then stopped monitoring.
Her life was no longer mine.
