Chapter 11 - THE SECOND PHONE
Mason walked in and looked at both of us.
His eyes immediately went to my purse.
I swear he could smell secrets.
“What’s going on?”
Vanessa turned toward the mirror.
“Fixing my makeup.”
“With Claire?”
“She was leaving.”
I forced myself to breathe normally.
Mason studied me.
“Were you?”
“Yes.”
He stepped aside.
“Then leave.”
I walked toward the door.
His hand caught my elbow.
Not hard.
But enough.
“Your purse.”
I looked down at his hand.
“Move it.”
“You took something.”
Vanessa laughed from behind us.
“Seriously?”
He didn’t look at her.
“What did you give her?”
“Nothing.”
Mason’s grip tightened.
Julian appeared in the hallway.
“Take your hand off her.”
Mason released me instantly.
I looked at Julian.
“I told you to go.”
“I did.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Nora called me back.”
“Why?”
His face had changed.
Serious now.
“Peter tried to leave with the folder.”
My stomach dropped.
“Nora stopped him?”
“Your friend is terrifying.”
Despite everything, I almost smiled.
Mason pushed past us.
“This is over.”
Julian blocked him.
“No.”
Mason stared at him.
“You really want to do this?”
“I’ve wanted to do this for five years.”
“I can call the police.”
“Please.”
Mason blinked.
Julian’s smile was cold.
“I would love to explain why your attorney brought a retroactive authorization form to your wedding.”
Mason’s face tightened.
Then he looked at me.
“Claire, don’t be stupid.”
Something inside me finally snapped.
Not loudly.
Quietly.
Completely.
I stepped closer.
“For seven years, every time I disagreed with you, you called me emotional.”
He said nothing.
“When I noticed things, I was paranoid.”
“Claire—”
“When I asked questions, I was insecure.”
“This isn’t—”
“When you cheated, I was difficult.”
His face hardened.
“When you left, I couldn’t handle your success.”
People had gathered in the hallway now.
I didn’t care.
“And now I’m stupid?”
I smiled.
“No, Mason.”
I opened my purse.
His eyes dropped.
I pulled out Vanessa’s phone.
His face changed.
Behind him, Vanessa whispered, “Oh God.”
I held it up.
“This time I’m just the woman holding your receipts.”
He lunged for it.
Julian caught him.
They crashed into the wall.
Someone screamed.
The phone almost flew out of my hand.
Security rushed forward.
Mason shouted, “That phone is stolen!”
Vanessa’s voice rang through the hallway.
“No, it isn’t!”
Everybody froze.
She stepped out of the bridal suite.
No veil.
Mascara smudged.
Wedding dress dragging behind her.
“It’s mine.”
Mason stared at her.
“Vanessa.”
She looked terrified.
But she kept going.
“I gave it to Claire.”
His voice dropped.
“You have no idea what you’re doing.”
“Yes, I do.”
“You’re destroying everything.”
Vanessa laughed through tears.
“No, Mason.”
She looked at me.
Then at Julian.
Then back at the man she had married less than two hours earlier.
“You already did that.”
Mason’s face went empty.
And that was the first moment I knew he had lost control.
Then Vanessa said,
May you like
“Claire, open the folder called ‘Monday.’”
Mason moved so fast three people had to stop him.
