Chapter 3: The Bride’s Real Signature
Laura pulled the phone against her chest, and Vanessa’s fingers closed on empty air.
“Say the name,” I told her.
Laura looked at Margaret.
“Do I still have your permission?”
Margaret wiped mud from her cheek and straightened as far as her cane allowed.
“You have it.”
“The request came from Vanessa Cole,” Laura said.
“It directed the money to an account owned by VMC Events.”
Vanessa backed into Daniel.
“Anyone could have typed my name.”
Laura turned her screen toward the guests.
“The request came through your verified banking profile at 8:43 this morning.”
“That proves nothing,” Vanessa snapped.
“Daniel gave me access because his parents promised to help us.”
“I gave you a bracelet,” Margaret said.
“I never gave you my retirement.”
Vanessa pointed at her muddy dress.
“You’re confused.
You’ve been confused for months.”
My hand tightened around the microphone.
“You will not speak to my wife that way.”
Daniel stepped between us.
“Dad, calm down before you make this worse.”
“Worse than taking your mother’s savings?”
“It wasn’t taking!” Daniel shouted.
“It was an advance on money that will be mine eventually.”
Margaret’s fingers slipped from my sleeve.
“Eventually?” she whispered.
Daniel stared at the ground.
“That isn’t what I meant.”
“It is exactly what you meant,” I said.
Laura tapped the screen.
“The transfer required a security code sent to Margaret’s phone.
Someone entered the correct code within thirty seconds.”
Margaret reached into my jacket pocket.
“My phone disappeared while Vanessa was helping me dress.”
Vanessa gave a short laugh.
“Now I’m responsible for a missing phone too?”
A bridesmaid near the cake table lowered her eyes.
I saw it.
“You know something,” I said.
The young woman glanced at Vanessa, then at the exit.
“I don’t want trouble.”
Vanessa’s voice sharpened.
“Chloe, stay out of family business.”
Chloe flinched.
Margaret held out her muddy hand.
“Please.
If you saw something, tell me.”
Chloe took one step forward.
“I saw Vanessa with your phone in the bridal suite.”
“She asked me to find Daniel’s number,” Vanessa said quickly.
“You already had Daniel’s number,” Chloe replied.
Several guests began whispering.
Vanessa snatched a champagne glass from the table, but her hand shook so hard that liquid spilled over her fingers.
Daniel leaned close to her.
“Tell me you didn’t do this.”
She stared at him.
“After everything I’ve done for you, you’re questioning me in front of these people?”
“I’m asking about my mother’s money.”
“Our money,” Vanessa hissed.
“You said it would all be ours.”
Margaret made a broken sound beside me.
Daniel turned toward her.
“Mom, I didn’t mean now.”
“Then when?” she asked.
“When I can no longer ask where it went?”
Vanessa grabbed Daniel’s hand.
“We are leaving.”
“No,” Laura said.
“The bank’s security team has already preserved the login record.”
Vanessa’s eyes moved from Laura’s phone to the ornamental fountain behind the bandstand.
She suddenly seized the device and threw it toward the water.
Laura caught Vanessa’s wrist before she could let go.
“Cloud backup,” Laura said quietly.
“Destroying this phone changes nothing.”
A voice came through the microphone behind us.
“Maybe not,” Daniel said.
“But the video on my phone changes everything.”
May you like
He held up his screen, and Margaret’s recorded voice filled the garden.
“You may use whatever you need from my account.”
