Chapter 3: The Price of a Promise
Maya bent down for her bouquet, but her fingers missed the stems.
“Answer me, Victor,” she said.
“Why did eighty-five thousand dollars go to Hartwell Consulting?”
Victor gave a short laugh.
“Because Hartwell Consulting arranged your honeymoon investment.
You authorized it.”
“I authorized a temporary deposit of five thousand.”
“You signed the form.”
Marcus took the statement from Helen.
“There are two transfers.
One for five thousand and one for eighty thousand.”
Victor stepped closer.
“This has nothing to do with you.”
“Every dollar came from me,” Marcus said.
“That makes it my concern.”
Caleb, Maya’s groom, pushed through the guests.
His tie was loose, and his phone was clenched in his hand.
“What is going on?” he demanded.
“The ceremony was supposed to start ten minutes ago.”
“Ask Victor,” Maya said.
“He moved our wedding fund into his company.”
Caleb barely looked at the statement.
“Then there’s probably an explanation.”
“You don’t even want to read it?”
“I already know about the investment.”
Maya’s head snapped toward him.
“You knew?”
Victor placed a hand on Caleb’s shoulder.
“We were preparing a surprise for you.
A chance to double the money.”
Marcus held the paper up.
“A legitimate investment does not require transferring money on the morning of a wedding.”
“You’re a mechanic, Marcus,” Victor said.
“Don’t pretend you understand private finance.”
“I understand when a man reaches for an envelope before anyone can read it.”
Helen opened the envelope wider.
“These are the letters Victor claims he sent.
Look at the return address, Maya.”
Maya examined the first page.
“It says Pine Street.”
“We never lived on Pine Street,” Helen said.
“Not once.”
Victor’s smile disappeared.
“You moved constantly.
I used the address I had.”
Marcus pointed to the date.
“This letter says you sent Maya a birthday card in May 2005.”
“So?”
“She was born in November.”
A murmur moved through the guests.
Victor reached for the papers, but Marcus moved them behind his back.
“Give me my private correspondence.”
“You said you sent these to Maya,” Marcus replied.
“Now they’re private?”
Maya looked from one man to the other.
“Victor, where are the originals?”
“Your mother destroyed them.”
“No,” Helen said.
“You printed those copies three weeks ago.
The print shop’s receipt is in the envelope.”
Victor turned on her.
“You have spent twenty-two years poisoning my daughter against me.”
“You did not know which hospital she was born in,” Helen replied.
“You asked me last month.”
Caleb caught Maya by the elbow.
“We need to go ahead with the ceremony.
We can sort this out afterward.”
She pulled away.
“Why are you trying to rush me?”
“Because two hundred people are waiting.”
Marcus faced Caleb.
“If you knew about the transfer, you are part of this conversation.”
“I’m the man marrying her.”
“Then protect her instead of protecting him.”
Caleb’s jaw tightened.
“You’re causing a scene because you can’t stand losing control.”
Marcus took out his phone.
“I’m calling the bank.”
Victor moved between them.
“If you accuse me of taking money, I’ll make sure everyone hears how you kept Maya from her biological father.”
“Call whoever you like,” Marcus said.
“I’ll call the fraud department.”
Maya pressed both hands to her temples.
“Stop.
All of you, stop.”
Helen reached for her.
“Sweetheart—”
“Don’t touch me.
You lied about Victor, Marcus threatened to take everything, and Caleb knew about money I didn’t know was gone.”
Her voice cracked on the final word.
Marcus lowered his phone.
“Maya, I will not let anyone take what belongs to you.”
“You just said you were taking it all back.”
“The car and the money I still controlled,” he said.
“Not the money someone removed behind your back.”
His phone vibrated.
Marcus glanced down, and all color left his face.
“What is it?” Helen asked.
He turned the screen toward Maya.
A second transfer had been initiated from the wedding reserve.
This one was for one hundred and forty thousand dollars.
Maya looked at Victor.
“That was everything.”
Victor slipped his phone into his jacket.
May you like
Then Marcus read the final line of the alert.
“The transfer was approved with Maya’s security code six minutes ago.”
