Chapter 3
I looked at my mother.
"Is that true?"
Mom closed her eyes.
"Not the way Vanessa is telling it."
Vanessa laughed.
"Here we go."
I felt trapped between two people I loved.
One had destroyed my wedding dress.
The other was suddenly hiding something about my grandmother.
And downstairs, two hundred guests were waiting.
Marcus checked his watch.
"Nia, we have thirty minutes."
I looked at him.
"I know."
He squeezed my hand.
"We can delay the ceremony."
I shook my head.
"No. I refuse to let this ruin our day."
Mom looked relieved.
"That's my girl."
But Vanessa gave a bitter smile.
"Of course. The show must go on."
I turned toward her.
"You can stay and talk respectfully, or you can leave."
She stared at me.
"You'd throw your own sister out of your wedding?"
"You threw paint on me."
Her expression changed.
For the first time, she seemed to understand how serious her actions were.
But instead of apologizing, she reached for the ruined gown.
"That paint will never come out."
I pulled away.
"Don't touch me."
Marcus stepped between us.
"Vanessa, leave the room."
She looked at him.
"You've always hated me."
He shook his head.
"No. I've tried to be patient with you."
Then his voice hardened.
"But I won't let you keep hurting Nia."
Vanessa's eyes flashed.
"You think you're so perfect, Marcus?"
I felt him stiffen.
"What?"
She smiled.
"Maybe your bride should know something about you."
My stomach dropped.
"Vanessa, what are you talking about?"
She looked pleased.
"Ask your perfect fiancé where he was last Thursday night."
Marcus frowned.
"At work."
"Really?"
"Yes."
Vanessa reached into her purse.
"Then explain this."
She pulled out her phone.
On the screen was a photograph.
Marcus standing outside a restaurant.
Beside him was a woman with long dark hair.
The woman had one hand on his chest.
My breath caught.
"Marcus?"
He leaned forward.
Then his expression changed.
"Where did you get that?"
Vanessa smiled.
"Does it matter?"
I stared at the picture.
The restaurant was expensive.
I recognized it immediately.
Marcus had taken me there on our first anniversary.
"Who is she?"
He looked at me.
"Nia, I can explain."
Those words made my stomach twist.
Vanessa laughed.
"Sounds familiar, doesn't it?"
Marcus took my hands.
"That woman is my cousin."
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
"Convenient."
I stared at him.
"Your cousin?"
"Yes. Danielle."
I remembered Danielle.
She lived in Atlanta.
We had met twice.
But the woman in the photograph was turned partly away.
I couldn't see her face clearly.
Marcus took out his phone.
He opened a family group chat.
There was Danielle.
Wearing the same green coat.
Standing beside her husband.
He showed me a message from Thursday.
Thanks for meeting me. Nia's surprise is going to be amazing.
I looked at him.
"What surprise?"
His expression softened.
"I was planning something for our honeymoon."
I felt my shoulders relax.
Vanessa's smile disappeared.
Marcus continued.
"Danielle works with a travel agency. She helped me arrange a private dinner in Jamaica."
I stared at him.
"You did that?"
He nodded.
"I wanted it to be special."
My eyes filled.
Vanessa snatched her phone back.
"Whatever."
I turned toward her.
"Why would you show me that without knowing the truth?"
She looked away.
"I thought you deserved to know."
"No."
My voice became firm.
"You wanted to hurt me."
She opened her mouth.
But I continued.
"You ruined my dress. You insulted me. Now you're trying to destroy my relationship."
Mom stepped forward.
"Vanessa, this has gone too far."
My sister's expression twisted.
"You don't get to lecture me."
Mom froze.
Vanessa pointed at her.
"You started all of this."
I looked between them.
"Then tell me what happened."
Mom lowered herself onto the couch.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Finally, she spoke.
"Your grandmother left Vanessa money."
I frowned.
"How much?"
"Seventy-five thousand dollars."
I stared at her.
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"Except I never received it."
Mom looked down.
"The money was placed in a trust."
"Why?"
"Your grandmother wanted it used for Vanessa's education or a future business."
Vanessa stepped forward.
"And Mom controlled it."
I looked at my mother.
"What happened to the money?"
She didn't answer.
A cold feeling spread through my chest.
"Mom?"
She pressed her lips together.
"Some of it was used."
Vanessa laughed.
"Some?"
Mom looked at her.
"I intended to replace it."
My heart sank.
"Replace what?"
Mom's eyes filled.
"During the year your father became ill, we had medical bills."
I remembered that year.
Dad's heart surgery.
The long recovery.
The nights Mom spent crying in the kitchen.
I had been twenty-two.
Vanessa was eighteen.
We had nearly lost our house.
Mom continued.
"I borrowed money from the trust."
I stared at her.
"Without telling Vanessa?"
She nodded.
Vanessa's eyes filled.
"She took forty thousand dollars."
I felt dizzy.
Mom whispered, "I was trying to save our home."
"You could have told me," Vanessa cried.
"You were eighteen."
"And it was my money!"
Mom began crying.
"I know."
For the first time, I understood that Vanessa's anger had a history.
But understanding it didn't excuse what she had done.
I looked at my sister.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
She laughed through tears.
"Because you would've defended Mom."
I opened my mouth.
Then closed it.
Maybe she was right.
I had always assumed Mom knew best.
I turned toward Claire.
"Have you paid it back?"
Mom shook her head.
"Not all of it."
The room went silent.
Then Vanessa whispered something that made my blood run cold.
"Tell Nia where the last twenty thousand dollars went."
Mom's face drained of color.
I stared at her.
"What twenty thousand?"
May you like
Vanessa looked directly at me.
"Mom used it to help pay for your wedding."
