Chapter 8: The Messages Behind the Attack
Vanessa placed her phone on the table.
Her hands were trembling.
Celeste stared at it.
“Put that away.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.””
“Vanessa, don't be stupid.””
“You told me Elaine was the problem.””
“I said she was interfering.””
“You told me to make sure she didn't embarrass us during the ceremony.””
Celeste looked toward Michael.
“This is ridiculous.””
Vanessa unlocked her phone.
She opened a conversation.
Then she turned the screen toward us.
The first message had been sent three days before the wedding.
*Celeste:* Elaine needs to understand that this is Vanessa's day. Don't let her interfere with anything.
The next message came the following morning.
*Celeste:* If she starts questioning the arrangements again, remind her that she's a guest, not the host.
Vanessa scrolled.
Then another message appeared.
*Celeste:* Make sure Daniel stays focused. Once the ceremony is over, we can deal with the financial arrangements.
My jaw tightened.
Elaine stared at the screen.
Vanessa continued.
Then she stopped.
“There's another one.””
Celeste stepped forward.
“Enough!””
Vanessa backed away.
“No. I'm done lying.””
She showed us the next message.
*Celeste:* If Elaine causes trouble, embarrass her in front of everyone. She'll never challenge us again.
Nobody moved.
I read it twice.
Then I looked at Celeste.
“Did you send this?””
She didn't answer.
Vanessa began crying.
“I thought you meant I should ignore her. I didn't know you wanted me to push her.””
Elaine closed her eyes.
I looked at Vanessa.
“Are you saying your mother instructed you to physically hurt my wife?””
Vanessa shook her head quickly.
“No. I swear I didn't understand it that way.””
I stared at her.
“Then why did you shove Elaine?””
She lowered her eyes.
“Because she touched my dress.””
“That isn't an answer.””
Vanessa wiped her cheeks.
“I was angry. Everyone was looking at me. I thought she was trying to take attention away from the wedding.””
Elaine spoke quietly.
“I was trying to free your train from a chair.””
Vanessa nodded.
“I know.””
“And you pushed me.””
Vanessa began sobbing.
“Yes.””
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Elaine asked a question I hadn't expected.
“Why did you hate me?””
Vanessa looked up.
“I didn't hate you.””
“You treated me like I was worthless.””
Vanessa stared at her hands.
“Because I thought you were judging me.””
Elaine shook her head.
“I wanted to love you.””
Vanessa covered her face.
And I found myself feeling something complicated.
I didn't forgive her.
I didn't excuse what she'd done.
But I finally understood that Celeste had spent months teaching her daughter to see our family as an obstacle instead of people.
Unfortunately, Vanessa had made her own choices.
Michael asked Vanessa to preserve the messages and send copies to her attorney.
Then he turned toward Celeste.
“Mrs. Cole, I strongly advise you not to delete or alter any communications related to these transactions.””
Celeste laughed.
“You can't tell me what to do.””
“I'm explaining the legal importance of preserving evidence.””
She grabbed her purse.
“I've had enough.””
She walked toward the door.
Vanessa called after her.
“Mom, wait.””
Celeste stopped.
“What?””
“Did you really plan to take control of their trust?””
Celeste looked at her daughter.
Then she smiled.
It was a cold, unfamiliar expression.
“I planned to secure your future.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“By stealing from them?””
“By making sure you never had to depend on anyone again.””
“That's not what I asked.””
Celeste sighed.
“You're too emotional to understand.””
Vanessa's voice broke.
“You used me.””
Celeste shrugged.
“I gave you opportunities.””
Then she left.
The door closed behind her.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Daniel sat with his elbows on the table.
Vanessa stood near the window.
Elaine held my hand.
And I realized something.
The wedding wasn't the only relationship that had ended that day.
About twenty minutes later, Monica knocked.
“Mr. Bennett?””
I stood.
“Yes?””
She looked uncomfortable.
“I'm sorry to interrupt, but the venue manager needs to know what to do about the remaining arrangements.””
I glanced toward the ballroom.
The flowers were still standing.
The cake was untouched.
The enormous wedding cake had six tiers, white frosting, and gold decorations.
Hundreds of tiny sugar flowers covered the sides.
I looked at Daniel.
He stared at the table.
“Cancel the reception,” I said.
Monica nodded.
“We'll handle the vendors according to their contracts.””
“Please make sure everyone is paid for the services already provided. I don't want innocent workers caught in this.””
She seemed relieved.
“Of course.””
When she left, Vanessa turned toward me.
“You're really doing this?””
I looked at her.
“What?””
“Canceling everything.””
“The wedding isn't happening.””
She shook her head.
“You promised.””
“I promised to fund a celebration for my son and the woman he was marrying. I didn't promise to finance a fraud investigation.””
She began crying again.
Daniel finally spoke.
“Vanessa, I'm sorry.””
She laughed.
“Don't.””
“I should have ended this earlier.””
“Yes, you should have.””
“I never wanted to hurt you.””
She looked at him.
“But you did.””
He lowered his eyes.
Then she turned toward me.
“Richard, I know I was wrong about Elaine.””
I didn't respond.
“I shouldn't have pushed her.””
“No, you shouldn't.””
“I was angry.””
“That doesn't excuse it.””
“I know.””
She looked toward my wife.
“Elaine, I'm sorry.””
Elaine studied her for a long moment.
Then she said, “I hope you become someone who never treats another person the way you treated me.””
Vanessa nodded.
She didn't ask for forgiveness.
Perhaps, for once, she understood she wasn't entitled to it.
The venue manager returned with a young employee carrying a clipboard.
“Mr. Bennett, there's one more issue.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“The wedding coordinator's office received a request this afternoon to release the remaining vendor balance to a different account.””
Michael immediately stepped forward.
“What account?””
The employee handed him a printed instruction.
Michael read it.
Then his expression changed.
“This is another account registered to Vantage Event Solutions.””
I felt my jaw tighten.
“Was the money transferred?””
“No. The request was held because the bank details didn't match the original vendor information.””
Michael examined the form.
“Who submitted this?””
The employee looked toward Vanessa.
“Mrs. Cole.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No, I didn't.””
The employee pointed to the signature.
“It has your name.””
She stared at the paper.
Then she turned toward her mother’s empty chair.
“Celeste.””
Michael looked up.
“Was your mother still authorized to access the company's payment portal?””
Vanessa hesitated.
“She had access.””
“Does she still?””
Vanessa quickly took out her phone.
She tapped the screen several times.
Then her face changed.
“What?””
Daniel stood.
“What's wrong?””
Vanessa looked at us.
“Someone just tried to withdraw the remaining vendor balance.””
Michael took the phone.
He examined the notification.
Then he looked at me.
“The request came from an account logged in at a location outside the venue.””
I frowned.
“Where?””
Michael read the address.
A hotel downtown.
The same hotel where Daniel had been photographed with Olivia.
I looked at my son.
He shook his head.
“Dad, I haven't been there today.””
Vanessa's voice was barely audible.
“My mother is there.””
I stared at her.
“Why?””
She looked at the screen.
May you like
Then she whispered:
“Because she told me she had one last thing to take care of before the wedding ended.””
