Chapter 6 - The CeremonyI wanted to follow Vanessa.
Maya stopped me.
“Let security handle her.”
“She knows where the amendment is.”
“And if you chase her through your own wedding, you give her exactly what she wants.”
“What?”
“Chaos.”
That word hit hard.
Vanessa had always been better in chaos.
She could cry.
Redirect.
Accuse.
Turn one ugly act into ten competing stories.
So I did the one thing she did not expect.
I got married.
Forty minutes later, I stood beneath white roses in my backup satin dress.
Daniel took my hands.
The guests had heard rumors.
They stared.
Vanessa sat in the second row beside Martin.
She wore pale blue and an expression of wounded innocence.
My mother’s chair was empty.
That hurt more than the dress.
The officiant began.
I tried to listen.
Then Daniel whispered:
“You’re looking at your sister.”
“I know.”
“Look at me.”
I did.
His eyes were steady.
“You are not marrying this investigation.”
A laugh escaped me.
We said our vows.
When Daniel slid the ring onto my finger, Vanessa looked down at her phone.
Maya, standing near the back wall, looked at hers too.
A message reached me through Lena’s watch:
FLASH DRIVE OPENED.
I nearly missed Daniel saying, “I do.”
At the kiss, the ballroom erupted.
For three minutes, I let myself be happy.
Then Andrew approached.
“Congratulations.”
“What was on the drive?”
His smile disappeared.
“Your mother’s audit.”
I squeezed Daniel’s hand.
“And?”
“Four shell vendors. Two forged board approvals. One hidden loan.”
“How much?”
“Two point seven million.”
I stopped breathing.
Daniel said, “Claire?”
Andrew continued.
“Your mother identified Martin as the person who created the vendor network.”
I looked across the room.
Martin’s chair was empty.
Vanessa’s too.
Maya was already moving.
Then Andrew said:
“There’s more.”
“The audit contains a handwritten note from your mother.”
“What does it say?”
Andrew pulled up a photograph.
My mother’s handwriting filled the screen.
IF MARTIN IS DOING THIS, VANESSA KNOWS.
Below it:
DO NOT CONFRONT THEM TOGETHER.
Daniel looked toward the exit.
May you like
Too late.
They had left together.
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