Chapter 4: The Bride’s First Secret
Daniel stared at Claire.
“You told me you had never been engaged.”
“I wasn’t,” she said.
“Not officially.”
Richard remained on speaker.
“His name is Peter Walsh.
A property transfer carrying his signature was filed eleven days before their wedding.”
Claire shook her head.
“Peter and I bought a flat together.
He changed his mind and blamed me.”
Eleanor took a step forward.
“He also accused you of copying his signature.”
“And he withdrew it,” Claire fired back.
“Because it wasn’t true.”
Daniel opened the blue folder again.
“Why didn’t you tell me about him?”
“Because your mother investigates everyone you love.”
Eleanor’s face tightened.
“I didn’t know Peter existed until this morning.”
Claire pulled out her own phone.
“Really?
Then let Daniel hear what you’ve been saying about me for months.”
She tapped the screen.
Eleanor’s recorded voice carried across the lawn.
“That woman wants the house, Richard.
If Daniel marries her, we may never get him back.”
Daniel looked at his mother.
“You said that?”
“Yes.”
“You discussed my relationship with Dad behind my back?”
“I was afraid.”
“You were controlling me.”
Eleanor reached for him, but Daniel moved away.
“Daniel, please.”
“No.
You don’t get to say ‘please’ now.”
Claire touched his shoulder.
“I told you she would ruin today.
She didn’t come to protect you.
She came to prove she could still make your decisions.”
Eleanor’s hand fell to her side.
“The recording doesn’t make the document innocent.”
“It proves your motive,” Claire said.
“You wanted the wedding stopped.”
Daniel thrust the folder at Eleanor.
“Get out.”
“Read the trust papers first.”
“I said get out!”
Eleanor flinched.
Her mouth opened, but no words came.
Claire lifted her chin.
“Security will escort you.”
Two venue employees approached.
Eleanor took one slow step backward, and Daniel turned his face away.
A bridesmaid left the line of silent attendants.
Naomi was Claire’s older sister, but the two women had barely spoken all morning.
“Don’t remove Eleanor,” Naomi said.
Claire’s head snapped around.
“Stay out of this.”
“I stayed out of it with Peter.
I won’t do that again.”
Naomi opened her handbag and removed a worn photograph.
Claire and Peter stood outside a courthouse, her hand raised to show a ring.
Daniel took the picture.
“Not officially engaged?”
Claire’s voice dropped.
“My sister has hated me since we were children.”
Naomi looked at Daniel.
“Peter did not withdraw his accusation because it was false.
He withdrew it because Claire promised to repay him.”
“That is enough,” Claire said.
“No, it isn’t.
She took forty thousand dollars from our mother’s account to repay him.”
Claire stepped close enough that their faces nearly touched.
“Mom gave me that money.”
“She had dementia, Claire.
She didn’t know what she was signing.”
The guests began whispering.
Claire looked around and gave a brittle laugh.
“This is absurd.
Naomi wasn’t even invited until Daniel insisted.”
“That’s why I came,” Naomi said.
“Daniel called me and asked why you had no family beside you.”
Daniel’s fingers closed around the photograph.
“Why didn’t you warn me?”
“I tried last night.
Claire took my phone and deleted the message.”
Claire pointed toward the gate.
“Leave with Eleanor.”
Naomi did not move.
Instead, she crossed to the mother-in-law and placed her own dry shawl around Eleanor’s soaked shoulders.
“You shouldn’t have arrived shouting,” Naomi said softly.
“But you were right to bring the envelope.”
Eleanor’s lips trembled.
“Thank you.”
Daniel looked from one woman to the other.
“Dad, where is Peter now?”
“At the gate,” Richard answered.
“He agreed to speak if Naomi stood with him.”
Claire’s face lost all color.
A dark-haired man entered the garden carrying a small metal box.
He stopped several feet from Claire.
“You promised you destroyed that,” she whispered.
May you like
Peter set the box on a table and opened it.
“I kept every page.”
