Chapter 1 - THE DOORS OPENED“They’re already on their way.”
My father ended the call.
I lowered my phone.
For a few seconds, nothing happened.
Chloe actually laughed.
She looked around the ballroom as if expecting everyone else to join her.
“Did everybody hear that?”
She pointed at me.
“Her family is coming to save her.”
A few people shifted uncomfortably.
Nobody laughed.
Eleanor stepped closer.
My torn dress hung awkwardly from one shoulder.
“You should be worried about the police, Vivienne.”
I looked at her hand.
She was still holding a piece of my gown.
“Drop that.”
Her eyebrows lifted.
“What?”
“The fabric you ripped off me.”
Something in my voice made her fingers loosen.
The torn blue cloth fell to the marble floor.
Dominic finally moved.
He came toward me slowly.
“Viv, come on.”
I looked at him.
He stopped.
“Don’t call me that.”
His jaw tightened.
“This is getting out of control.”
I almost smiled.
“Getting?”
Before he could answer, the ballroom doors opened.
Not dramatically.
No explosion.
No shouting.
Just two quiet clicks.
Then six people walked inside.
The first was the hotel’s general manager, Mr. Bennett.
Chloe had spent all week ordering him around.
Now his face was pale.
Behind him came the head of security.
Then the hotel’s attorney.
Then two men in dark business suits.
And finally my father.
Charles Ashford.
He was sixty-three, silver-haired, broad-shouldered, and wearing the same navy suit he wore whenever he expected a long night.
He didn’t rush toward me.
That was my father.
When he was furious, he became slower.
Quieter.
More precise.
His eyes found my torn dress.
Then my face.
Then my stomach.
His expression changed.
Barely.
But I saw it.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
I swallowed.
“I’m okay.”
He looked at Dominic.
Dominic went rigid.
Chloe frowned.
“Who is this?”
Nobody answered her.
My father walked to me and carefully draped his suit jacket over my shoulders.
Then he turned to Mr. Bennett.
“Lock the ballroom.”
Chloe gave a sharp laugh.
“You can’t lock my wedding reception.”
Mr. Bennett didn’t even look at her.
“Yes, Mr. Ashford.”
The doors closed.
Click.
Click.
This time the sound carried.
Eleanor stared at my father.
“Ashford?”
Her face shifted.
Just a little.
She knew the name.
Most people in that room did.
Ashford Hospitality owned twelve luxury hotels across the East Coast.
Three private clubs.
Two resort properties.
And this building.
The Ashford Grand.
My father looked at Eleanor.
“You tore my daughter’s dress?”
Her lips parted.
Dominic stepped forward.
“Mr. Ashford, I can explain.”
My father finally looked at him.
“Can you?”
Dominic said nothing.
Chloe’s face went white.
She stared at me.
Then at the black access card still lying near my purse.
“No.”
Her voice was almost a whisper.
“No, no, no.”
I bent down slowly and picked up the card.
My father offered me his hand.
I ignored it.
Not because I was angry with him.
Because I needed to stand up by myself.
When I straightened, Chloe was staring at the card.
I slid it into my purse.
“Executive access,” I said.
Her mouth opened.
I looked around the ballroom.
“At my family’s hotel.”
Silence.
Then Amanda suddenly turned toward the nearest exit.
The head of security stepped in front of her.
“Ma’am.”
She froze.
Her silver purse slipped slightly from her fingers.
And something small inside made a very distinct sound.
A hard object hitting metal.
Chloe heard it.
So did I.
So did almost everyone near us.
Amanda clutched the purse to her chest.
My father looked at security.
“Open it.”
Amanda backed away.
“No.”
Chloe stared at her cousin.
“Amanda?”
Amanda’s eyes filled with panic.
May you like
And then she did the worst possible thing.
She ran.
