Chapter 10 - The Bride Ran
Police intercepted Chloe's car before it reached the airport entrance.
Amanda later claimed she had gone with Chloe because Chloe threatened to blame everything on her.
For once, that sounded believable.
Chloe returned to the hotel wearing her wedding gown beneath a borrowed coat.
The bride who had entered the ballroom believing she controlled two hundred people was brought through a service entrance away from cameras.
I was waiting in a conference room.
She stopped when she saw me.
“You ruined my wedding.”
I almost admired the sentence.
“Your wedding?”
“My reputation is destroyed.”
“You tried to frame me.”
“That was a joke.”
“You forged my signature.”
Her face changed.
There it was.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
Rebecca placed the document on the table.
Chloe did not touch it.
“I don't know what that is.”
Amanda stood near the wall.
“Yes, you do.”
Chloe spun toward her.
Amanda continued.
“You practiced Vivienne's signature for weeks.”
“You said Eleanor wanted it for some family paperwork.”
Chloe's eyes flashed.
“She's lying.”
Amanda took out her phone.
“I recorded you.”
Everyone became still.
The audio played.
Chloe's voice filled the room.
“Once Dominic signs, Vivienne loses control after the baby comes.”
Amanda's voice followed.
“And if he doesn't?”
Chloe laughed.
“Then Aunt Eleanor will make sure he thinks Vivienne is unstable enough to lose the child too.”
I stopped breathing.
Dominic closed his eyes.
Dad's hand settled on my shoulder.
Chloe's confidence finally fractured.
“I didn't mean custody.”
Rebecca leaned forward.
“You should stop talking.”
Chloe ignored her.
“Aunt Eleanor said the threat would scare Vivienne into signing.”
“Everything was leverage.”
Leverage.
My marriage.
My reputation.
My unborn baby.
All leverage.
Dominic walked toward Chloe.
“You knew Mom planned to threaten custody?”
Chloe stepped back.
“You knew enough.”
“I knew about the ring.”
“Exactly.”
Her expression became cruel.
“You started this.”
Dominic recoiled.
She was right.
He had opened the door.
His family had simply walked through it.
Then Amanda spoke quietly.
“There is one more recording.”
Chloe went pale.
Amanda looked at me.
“This one wasn't about your money.”
I stared at her.
“What was it about?”
She hesitated.
May you like
“Your baby.”
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