Chapter 2 - JASON KNEW SOMETHING
“Too weak to do what?”
I watched Jason carefully.
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Margaret answered for him.
“Tell her.”
Jason turned toward his mother.
“Stop.”
“Why?”
Margaret's voice sharpened.
“She deserves to know what kind of man she's marrying.”
Something cold moved through my chest.
“Jason?”
He walked toward me.
“Can we talk privately?”
I almost laughed.
“Your mother just burned my wedding dress in front of three witnesses.”
I pointed toward the blackened remains.
“I think we're past private conversations.”
Jessica moved beside me.
Melody still held the extinguisher.
Tina had already pulled out her phone.
Jason rubbed both hands over his face.
“Please.”
Margaret laughed softly.
“He's always been a coward when it matters.”
“Enough.”
Jason's voice cracked through the room.
Everyone went silent.
I'd never heard him speak to his mother like that.
Margaret's face hardened.
Jason turned toward me.
“There are things about my family I should've told you.”
My heart began pounding.
“What things?”
“My father.”
“Richard?”
Jason nodded.
“What about him?”
Before he could answer, Richard Wilson appeared behind him.
Jason's father looked immaculate as always.
Gray suit.
Silver tie.
Perfect posture.
But the moment he saw the destroyed dress, something changed in his face.
He didn't look shocked.
He looked exhausted.
“Margaret.”
She folded her arms.
“You knew this was coming.”
Richard stepped into the room.
“No.”
His voice was dangerously quiet.
“I knew you were unstable.”
Margaret's face went white.
“But I didn't think you'd become a criminal.”
“You don't get to judge me.”
“I just watched smoke pouring into a hallway full of wedding guests.”
Richard looked at the dress.
“You could've burned this building down.”
“I knew exactly what I was doing.”
“That may be the most frightening thing you've ever said.”
Jason moved between them.
“Dad.”
Richard ignored him.
His eyes settled on me.
“I am so sorry.”
“Don't.”
My voice surprised even me.
Richard stopped.
“I don't need another apology from this family.”
I turned to Jason.
“I need the truth.”
Jason swallowed.
“What did you hide from me?”
He looked at his father.
Richard slowly nodded.
Jason's shoulders dropped.
“Six months ago, I found documents.”
“What documents?”
“Company records.”
Jason's family owned Wilson Development Group.
One of the largest private real estate companies in northern Ohio.
Richard had built it over thirty years.
Jason had joined after business school.
I knew the company.
I knew the public story.
Apparently, I knew almost nothing else.
Jason continued.
“There were payments I couldn't explain.”
“To whom?”
“Consultants.”
Margaret interrupted.
“Don't.”
Jason looked at her.
“You wanted this.”
Her jaw tightened.
He turned back to me.
“The consultants weren't real.”
I felt the room shrink.
“How much?”
“Over eight years?”
He hesitated.
“About fourteen million dollars.”
Jessica whispered something behind me.
I barely heard her.
“Fourteen million?”
Jason nodded.
“And your mother knew?”
Silence.
That was my answer.
Richard walked toward the window.
“I discovered it three months ago.”
I stared at him.
“You knew too?”
“I've been trying to determine how deep it goes.”
“And nobody thought your son's future wife deserved to know?”
Jason stepped toward me.
“I was going to tell you after the wedding.”
I stared at him.
“After?”
“I didn't want this hanging over today.”
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
“You were going to marry me first and explain the fourteen-million-dollar family secret later?”
“It's not like that.”
“It is exactly like that.”
Margaret smiled.
“Now you're beginning to understand.”
I turned toward her.
“Understand what?”
“That you should walk away.”
Then my phone vibrated inside my handbag.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
I pulled it out.
There was a message on the screen.
From Detective Lena Ortiz.
The woman I'd contacted two weeks earlier after strange financial documents appeared in my work email.
Her message contained only seven words.
WE HAVE ENOUGH.
DO NOT DELETE ANYTHING.
I looked up.
May you like
Margaret was watching me.
And for the first time all day, she looked afraid.
