Chapter 4: The Secret Beneath the Wedding
Marcus released Daniel so suddenly that his business partner stumbled backward.
"What money?"" Marcus demanded.
Daniel straightened his jacket.
"Not here.""
"You don't get to decide where this conversation happens.""
"Marcus, listen to me.""
"No. You listen to me. My wife just admitted she lied about my mother.
I have messages proving you knew something was going to happen. And now you're asking her about money?""
Daniel looked toward the guests.
Several had stopped pretending not to listen.
The wedding planner hurried over.
"Mr. Reed, perhaps we should move this discussion to a private room.""
Marcus didn't look at her.
"Get everyone out of the ballroom.""
"Sir—"
"Please.""
The word was quiet, but something in his face made her stop arguing.
Within minutes, the wedding planner had asked the guests to move to the garden terrace for photographs and refreshments. The musicians stopped playing. The waiters cleared the nearest tables.
Sophie remained beside me.
She hadn't spoken since learning the truth about Evelyn.
"Go outside," I told her.
"No.""
"Sophie, please.""
She folded her arms.
"I'm not leaving you alone with these two men until I know what's happening.""
Marcus heard her.
For the first time since the slap, he looked at her directly.
"Thank you," he said.
Sophie nodded once.
Then she turned to me.
"I wish you'd told me the truth before today.""
Her words hurt because they were simple.
She walked to the far side of the room but stayed within sight.
Marcus faced Daniel.
"Start talking.""
Daniel exhaled.
"Your mother has been trying to influence your business decisions for years.""
Marcus stared at him.
"My mother is not involved in my business.""
"Not officially.""
"Then what are you talking about?""
Daniel glanced at me.
I could feel my heart pounding.
I knew what he was about to say.
And I knew it would make everything worse.
"Your mother has been reviewing some of the family accounts," Daniel said.
"She noticed irregularities.""
Marcus frowned.
"What irregularities?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Transfers. Payments that didn't match the invoices.""
"From which accounts?""
"The development company.""
Marcus looked genuinely confused.
Then his expression sharpened.
"That's impossible. You manage those accounts.""
"I do.""
"And you told me everything was in order.""
"I believed it was.""
Marcus laughed bitterly.
"You believed it was?""
Daniel rubbed his jaw.
"I was trying to understand the discrepancies before bringing them to you.""
"How much?""
Daniel didn't answer.
Marcus took a step toward him.
"How much money?""
"Nearly four hundred thousand dollars.""
The silence that followed was absolute.
I looked at Marcus.
His face had gone blank.
"Four hundred thousand dollars," he repeated.
"Over several transactions," Daniel said quickly.
"I don't know where all of it went yet.""
Marcus stared at him.
"How long have you known?""
"Three weeks.""
"Three weeks?""
"I needed time to verify the records.""
Marcus shook his head.
"And you chose my wedding day to tell me?""
Daniel's eyes flicked toward me.
"I didn't choose the timing.""
"No?"" Marcus asked.
"Then why did you send my wife messages about making my mother lose control?""
Daniel said nothing.
Marcus turned to me.
"Clara?""
I couldn't speak.
Because there was more.
Much more.
The money had been the reason Daniel first approached me. He had discovered that Evelyn had requested a review of several company transactions after noticing an unfamiliar payment during a routine discussion with Marcus.
Daniel had been afraid she would uncover something.
He'd told me that Evelyn wanted to control Marcus's inheritance and was using the business accounts to make herself indispensable.
I had believed him.
Or perhaps I had wanted to believe him because it gave my anger a purpose.
Daniel had shown me a few screenshots. A spreadsheet. A series of transactions with vague descriptions.
He'd never shown me the complete records.
He'd told me that if Evelyn began questioning me, I should make sure Marcus understood how manipulative she could be.
"She wants you out," Daniel had said during our final conversation.
"Why?""
"Because you're the one person who might make Marcus independent of her.""
It had sounded almost romantic.
I had been so desperate to feel chosen that I'd mistaken manipulation for loyalty.
Marcus looked between us.
"Did you know about the missing money?""
I hesitated.
"Daniel told me there were accounting problems.""
"Did you know he suspected my mother?""
"Yes.""
"Did you know he thought she was responsible?""
"Yes.""
Marcus closed his eyes.
"And you decided to help him discredit her.""
"No. I didn't know that was what—"
"Clara!""
I flinched.
He immediately stepped back, as if disgusted with himself for raising his voice.
For one brief moment, I saw the man who had held me through my father's funeral.
Then he looked at Daniel again.
"Show me the records.""
Daniel reached into his jacket and pulled out his phone.
"I can show you the transactions, but the original documents are in the office.""
"Send them to me.""
"I can't.""
Marcus stared at him.
"Why not?""
"Because some of the files are restricted.""
"You're my business partner.""
"Marcus, there's something else you need to understand.""
Daniel looked toward the doors.
Then he lowered his voice.
"The money wasn't the only thing your mother found.""
Marcus went completely still.
"What else?""
Daniel swallowed.
"She found a document with your signature.""
"What document?""
"A transfer authorization.""
Marcus shook his head.
"I didn't authorize any transfer.""
"I know.""
The words seemed to hang in the air.
Marcus stepped closer.
"Then whose signature is on it?""
Daniel looked at me.
I stared back at him.
For a second, I couldn't understand why he was looking at me.
Then I remembered the envelope.
Three days earlier, Daniel had met me at a café near the estate. He'd given me a sealed envelope and told me it contained information that could prove Evelyn was planning to interfere with our marriage.
I hadn't opened it.
I'd been too angry, too consumed with planning the confrontation, too certain that I already knew what kind of woman Evelyn was.
I'd slipped it into my handbag.
The same handbag I'd carried into the bridal lounge.
The same handbag Evelyn had supposedly been searching.
I felt the blood drain from my face.
Marcus noticed.
"What is it?""
"Nothing.""
He looked at my bag.
"Clara.""
I clutched it against my side.
"Don't.""
"What's in there?""
"Nothing that concerns you.""
His expression hardened.
"After everything that happened today, you want to tell me something doesn't concern me?""
I stepped back.
Daniel moved between us.
"Marcus, don't make this about her.""
Marcus turned on him.
"Why? Because you put her up to this?""
"That's not what I said.""
"Then show me the document.""
Daniel's mouth tightened.
For the first time, his polished confidence began to crack.
"I don't have it with me.""
Marcus looked at me.
"Do you?""
I couldn't answer.
He reached for the bag, then stopped himself.
"Give it to me.""
I held it tighter.
"Marcus, please.""
"Give me the bag, Clara.""
My hands shook as I lowered it onto the table.
He unzipped it and began searching.
Lipstick.
Tissues.
A compact mirror.
My phone charger.
Then his fingers closed around a cream-colored envelope.
He pulled it out.
Daniel took one step backward.
Marcus noticed.
"What's this?""
I stared at the envelope.
"I don't know.""
Marcus looked at me.
"You're lying again.""
He opened it.
Inside was a printed document bearing his name, a bank account number, and a transfer authorization for four hundred thousand dollars.
At the bottom was a signature that looked exactly like his.
Marcus read it twice.
Then he turned the page over.
There was a handwritten note in Daniel's distinctive blue ink.
*If Evelyn asks, Marcus approved everything. Clara will help keep her distracted until the review is over.*
Marcus's fingers tightened around the paper.
He looked at Daniel.
"Did you forge my signature?""
Daniel's face had lost all its color.
"No.""
"Then why is your handwriting on this note?""
"I can explain.""
"Explain it.""
Daniel looked at me.
And suddenly I understood why he'd wanted me to believe Evelyn was the enemy.
He hadn't needed me to win an argument.
He'd needed me to keep Marcus looking in the wrong direction.
Marcus held up the document.
"Tell me where the money went.""
Daniel swallowed.
Then he whispered, "I transferred it to an account under your wife's name.""
The room tilted.
I grabbed the edge of the table.
"What?""
Daniel looked at me.
"You knew about the account.""
I shook my head violently.
"I don't know what you're talking about!""
Marcus turned toward me.
"Clara, is there an account in your name?""
"No.""
Daniel gave a humorless laugh.
"Check her phone.""
I stared at him.
He looked almost relieved now, as if he had finally found a way to share the consequences of his actions.
Marcus reached for my phone on the table.
Before he could pick it up, it lit up with an incoming notification.
A banking alert.
The screen displayed the final four digits of an account number.
And beneath it, a balance I had never seen before.
*Available balance: $398,450.*
Marcus looked at the screen.
Then at me.
May you like
His voice was barely audible.
"Clara, what have you done?""
