Chapter 6
I stared at him.
“Peter knows?”
“He suspected. He asked me to review documents this morning. I was going to speak to him after the ceremony if I had to.”
“After?”
Daniel’s face hardened.
“Until she humiliated you and tore your dress in front of his daughters.”
That was when I understood.
Cassandra had not just been cruel.
She had been careless.
And careless people leave doors open.
In the courtyard, the music stopped.
Elaine stepped out of the bridal suite with two assistants.
One carried a garment bag.
One carried a clipboard.
The security captain moved toward the arch.
Cassandra snapped, “Why is everyone standing around? Start the music!”
Elaine spoke in a professional voice.
“Mrs. Whitmore-to-be, Maison Vale is suspending release of all couture property until the outstanding balance is satisfied and today’s incident is documented.”
Cassandra blinked.
“What?”
“The gown has not been fully paid for.”
The courtyard erupted in whispers.
Cassandra’s face turned red under the makeup.
“That is a lie.”
Elaine held up the clipboard.
“It is not.”
Cassandra grabbed at her skirt.
“I’m wearing it.”
Elaine nodded.
“Yes. Under supervised pre-ceremony fitting permission. That permission is now revoked.”
A sound moved through the guests.
Not a gasp.
Not laughter.
Something worse.
Realization.
Cassandra looked at Peter.
“Are you going to let them talk to me like this?”
Peter looked confused, then embarrassed.
“Cassie… you said everything was paid.”
“It is!”
Daniel stepped forward.
“No, it isn’t.”
Cassandra’s eyes narrowed.
“Stay out of this.”
“I can’t,” Daniel said. “I represent Peter for the prenuptial review.”
The courtyard went dead silent.
Cassandra’s bouquet lowered.
Peter turned toward Daniel.
“What review?”
Daniel looked at Peter with the kind of sadness only truth can carry.
“The one you requested when your daughters found duplicate invoices and a loan agreement under Cassandra’s maiden name.”
Cassandra hissed, “This is not the time.”
Daniel replied, “Actually, it is exactly the time.”
He opened the folder.
Not dramatically.
Not like television.
Just calmly.
That made it worse.
“These are copies of unpaid vendor balances. This is the couture contract. This is the prenuptial disclosure Cassandra signed yesterday. This is the civil complaint filed by her former fiancé in Denver. And this—”
He lifted one page.
May you like
“—is the email where she instructs the wedding planner to bill certain balances to Peter’s company after today’s ceremony.”
Peter stepped backward.
