Chapter 2 – The Wedding That Was Never About Love
The ballroom sparkled beneath thousands of crystal lights.
Four hundred guests rose to their feet as the string quartet began playing.
Everyone believed they were witnessing the wedding of the year.
Only three people understood it was something entirely different.
Olivia floated down the aisle in a breathtaking white gown.
Every camera followed her.
Every guest smiled.
Daniel never did.
As she reached the altar, she slipped her hand into his.
It felt cold.
Too cold.
"You look nervous," she whispered.
He smiled politely.
"I've had a busy week."
She searched his face.
For the first time since they'd met, she couldn't read him.
The officiant began speaking.
Words about love.
Trust.
Forever.
Daniel barely heard them.
Inside his tuxedo pocket rested a tiny recording device.
Inside the ballroom sat twelve federal investigators disguised as wedding guests.
Three financial crime prosecutors occupied the front row.
Two detectives waited beside the catering entrance.
None of them watched the bride.
They watched the people watching her.
Daniel had spent months pretending to fall deeper in love.
Not because he wanted answers.
Because the FBI believed Olivia wasn't the mastermind.
She was bait.
Someone else collected the fortunes.
Someone powerful.
Someone invisible.
When the officiant finally smiled and asked,
"Do you take Olivia to be your lawful wife?"
The room became perfectly still.
Daniel lifted his eyes.
Not toward Olivia.
Toward the fourth row.
An elderly gentleman wearing a silver tie smiled almost imperceptibly.
Daniel recognized the signal immediately.
The man believed everything was proceeding according to plan.
Exactly as it had during the previous weddings.
Daniel answered calmly.
"I do."
The applause thundered.
But across the ballroom—
Margaret felt something was terribly wrong.
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Because her son hadn't looked at his bride.
He had looked at someone else.
