Chapter 3 - THE BRIDESMAID WHO KNEW TOO MUCH

Miguel was gone.

Daniel searched the ballroom, the service hallway, and the kitchen.

Nothing.

A banquet manager named Howard hurried after him.

“Mr. Carter, please.”

“Where is Miguel?”

Howard hesitated.

“He went downstairs.”

“Why?”

Howard glanced toward the ballroom.

Daniel saw fear in the man’s face.

“Howard.”

The manager sighed.

“Ms. Whitmore demanded that we fire him.”

Daniel stared at him.

“When?”

“About thirty seconds after you left the room.”

Daniel felt heat rise into his face.

“She demanded what?”

“She said if we didn’t terminate him immediately, she’d make sure your family never held another event here.”

“My family?”

“Yes.”

Daniel laughed bitterly.

“This place belongs to my uncle.”

Howard nodded.

“I’m aware.”

Daniel’s jaw tightened.

Claire had threatened a manager with Daniel’s family name.

Daniel turned toward the employee elevator.

“Where downstairs?”

“Staff locker rooms.”

Before he could move, someone caught his sleeve.

“Daniel.”

He turned.

It was Claire’s younger sister, Emily.

She was still wearing her pale blue bridesmaid dress, but her face looked sick.

“What?”

Emily looked behind her.

“Can I talk to you?”

“Not now.”

“You need to hear this.”

“Emily—”

“It’s about Claire.”

Daniel stopped.

Emily swallowed.

Then she looked toward the hallway.

“Not here.”

They stepped into an empty conference room.

Emily closed the door.

Daniel crossed his arms.

“What?”

She didn’t speak.

“Emily.”

“I should have told you before.”

His stomach dropped.

“Told me what?”

She rubbed her palms against her dress.

“Claire told me you guys had problems sometimes. But I thought she was exaggerating.”

“What problems?”

Emily looked miserable.

“Her temper.”

Daniel said nothing.

“She’s always had one,” Emily continued. “Since we were kids. But lately it’s gotten worse.”

“I know she has a temper.”

“No, you don’t.”

Daniel’s eyes narrowed.

Emily pulled out her phone.

“I have something.”

“What?”

“A video.”

Daniel stared at the screen in her hand.

“What video?”

Emily unlocked it.

“Two months ago, Claire and I went dress shopping with Mom. We stopped at a café afterward.”

Daniel’s throat went dry.

Emily opened a clip.

For the first few seconds, the camera pointed at a table.

Then Claire’s voice filled the room.

“You’re telling me you can’t remake a salad?”

A waitress answered nervously.

“Ma’am, I can. I was only saying—”

“I don’t care what you were saying.”

The camera moved.

Claire appeared on screen.

Her face looked furious.

The waitress was maybe nineteen.

Claire leaned toward her.

“If you can’t handle a basic order, maybe find a job that matches your intelligence.”

Daniel’s chest tightened.

On screen, Emily whispered, “Claire, stop.”

Claire snapped back, “Stay out of it.”

Then the video ended.

Daniel looked up.

“Why were you recording?”

Emily’s eyes filled with tears.

“Because it wasn’t the first time.”

Daniel stared at her.

“How many times?”

“I don’t know.”

“Emily.”

“A lot.”

Daniel turned away.

He put both hands on the conference table.

For nearly two years, Claire had told him these incidents were misunderstandings.

One-offs.

Stress.

Bad days.

Apparently everybody else knew better.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Emily’s voice cracked.

“Because she’s my sister.”

Daniel looked at her.

“And because she told me if I ever tried to turn you against her, she’d destroy my relationship with my parents.”

Daniel felt his skin go cold.

“What?”

Emily wiped her eyes.

“She said Mom and Dad would believe her. And honestly? She might be right.”

There was a knock at the door.

Both of them froze.

Then Claire’s voice came from the hallway.

“Emily?”

Emily’s face drained of color.

“Open the door.”

Daniel looked at Emily.

She whispered, “She knows.”

Claire knocked again.

Harder.

“Emily. Open. The. Door.”

Daniel moved toward it.

Emily grabbed his arm.

“Wait.”

“What?”

Her voice dropped to a whisper.

“There’s something else on my phone.”

Daniel stopped.

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Emily looked terrified.

“Something much worse.”