Chapter 2 - THE SILVER PURSEAmanda made it three steps.
That was all.
Her heel caught the edge of the dance floor.
She stumbled.
The silver purse flew from her hand.
It hit the marble.
The clasp snapped open.
Lip gloss rolled one way.
A compact spun another.
A hotel key card skidded under a table.
And Chloe’s diamond ring slid into the center of the ballroom.
Nobody moved.
The ring stopped near Dominic’s shoe.
He looked down.
Then slowly looked at Amanda.
Chloe made a sound I had never heard from her before.
Not a scream.
More like air leaving a punctured tire.
“Amanda…”
Amanda’s face collapsed.
“I can explain.”
Chloe slapped her.
Hard.
The sound cracked through the room.
Amanda staggered.
My father raised one hand.
“Enough.”
Chloe ignored him.
“You stole my ring?”
“No!”
“It fell out of your purse!”
“I didn’t steal it!”
Chloe lunged again.
Security stepped between them.
Amanda started crying.
Not pretty tears.
Not elegant tears.
Her mascara ran immediately.
“I didn’t steal it!”
“Then why was it in your bag?”
Amanda looked at Chloe.
That look changed everything.
Fear.
Anger.
And something that looked almost like betrayal.
“Tell them.”
Chloe stopped.
Eleanor went still.
Amanda wiped her nose with the back of her hand.
“Tell them what you told me.”
Chloe’s face hardened.
“Shut up.”
My father looked at the head of security.
“Bring up the camera footage.”
Mr. Bennett nodded.
“We already pulled it.”
Chloe spun toward him.
“You what?”
“The ballroom system records continuously.”
I watched Chloe.
She was calculating.
Fast.
Dominic knew it too.
He stepped toward his sister.
“Chloe.”
She snapped at him.
“Don’t.”
My father gestured toward the giant LED screen behind the band.
The wedding slideshow disappeared.
A security feed replaced it.
Timestamp.
7:42 p.m.
Everyone turned.
The footage showed Amanda entering a side corridor.
Chloe followed two minutes later.
They disappeared near the bridal suite.
Then another camera angle appeared.
Inside the private hallway.
No audio.
But the picture was clear.
Chloe removed the ring from her finger.
She handed it to Amanda.
A wave of whispers moved through the room.
Chloe shouted.
“That proves nothing!”
Amanda laughed once.
It sounded broken.
“You told me to plant it.”
The whispers became voices.
Chloe stared at her.
Amanda pointed at me.
“You said to put it in Vivienne’s purse.”
My stomach tightened.
I looked at Chloe.
She didn’t deny it.
Not immediately.
That was enough.
Amanda kept talking.
“I couldn’t do it.”
“You said you did!”
“I panicked!”
Chloe’s voice became shrill.
“You promised me!”
The room went silent again.
Chloe realized what she had said.
Too late.
My father looked at the hotel attorney.
“Did you get that?”
The attorney lifted his phone slightly.
“Every word.”
Chloe’s mouth snapped shut.
Eleanor stepped forward.
“This is a family matter.”
My father turned to her.
“No.”
His voice stayed calm.
“You made it public.”
Eleanor looked around at two hundred guests.
Cameras.
Phones.
Photographers.
Her face drained.
I should have felt victorious.
Instead, I felt tired.
Deeply tired.
Dominic stepped beside me.
“Vivienne, I didn’t know.”
I looked at him.
“Didn’t know what?”
“That she planted it.”
“But you were fine with them searching me.”
His face tightened.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“You watched your mother tear my dress.”
“I froze.”
I laughed softly.
“No.”
I shook my head.
“You chose.”
That landed.
He looked down.
My father came closer.
“Vivienne.”
I knew that tone.
There was more.
“What?”
He glanced at Dominic.
Then back at me.
“There’s something else you need to see.”
Dominic’s head snapped up.
“Charles.”
My father’s eyes hardened.
“You don’t get to call me Charles.”
Then he handed me a folder.
On the first page was my name.
May you like
Under it was Dominic’s signature.
And a transfer request for twenty-eight million dollars.
