Chapter 1: Ten Minutes Before the Wedding
“IT ONLY COST TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS! STOP ACTING LIKE I KILLED SOMEONE!””
My younger sister laughed as black ink dripped from the front of my wedding dress onto the marble floor.
For three seconds, I couldn't move.
I stood in front of the full-length mirror, watching the black liquid spread through the delicate white lace I'd spent years dreaming about wearing. Ten minutes earlier, I'd been the happiest woman in Tennessee.
Now my wedding dress looked like someone had poured a bottle of darkness over my future.
“Chloe,” I whispered.
“What did you just do?””
My sister capped the empty ink bottle and placed it casually on the vanity.
“Relax, Emily. It's a dress.””
“A dress?”” I repeated.
She shrugged.
“You heard me. You can buy another one. Besides, it's not like Nathan is going to cancel the wedding because your outfit has a little stain.””
My mother, Margaret, dropped the jewelry box she'd been holding.
“Chloe Bennett! Have you completely lost your mind?””
Chloe rolled her eyes.
“Oh, please, Mom. Don't start. Emily gets everything. I wanted to have one morning where she wasn't the center of attention.””
I looked at my reflection again.
The gown had a fitted bodice, hand-sewn French lace, and tiny pearl buttons running down the back. It was the most beautiful dress I'd ever seen.
And my sister had just destroyed it.
“Why?”” I asked, turning toward her.
“What did I ever do to you?””
Chloe folded her arms.
“You really want me to answer that?””
“Yes.””
She stepped closer.
“You got the perfect childhood, the perfect college, the perfect job, and now you're marrying a millionaire. Meanwhile, I'm still trying to figure out my life.””
“That's not my fault.””
“Of course it isn't. Nothing is ever your fault, Emily.””
Mom grabbed a towel and tried to blot the ink.
“Stop talking and help me save this dress!””
Chloe laughed.
“Save it? Mom, look at it. It's ruined.””
I grabbed her wrist.
“You're going to pay for this.””
She yanked her hand away.
“With what money? Your imaginary wedding-dress insurance?””
Before I could respond, the dressing-room door opened.
Sarah Collins, our wedding coordinator, stepped inside carrying a clipboard.
“Emily, the musicians are ready, and Nathan is waiting at the—”
She stopped.
Her eyes moved from my face to the black stains covering the gown.
“Oh my God.””
Chloe immediately stepped between us.
“It's fine, Sarah. There was a little accident.””
Sarah stared at the empty ink bottle.
“An accident?””
“Someone knocked it over,” Chloe replied.
I looked at her in disbelief.
“You poured it on me!””
“Emily, don't be dramatic.””
Sarah approached the gown without touching it.
“Please tell me nobody used water or cleaning chemicals.””
Mom lowered the towel.
“Why?””
Sarah's expression changed.
“Because this isn't an ordinary wedding dress.””
Chloe snorted.
“Here we go. Another speech about expensive fabric.””
Sarah ignored her.
She carefully examined the embroidered bodice, then looked at me.
“Emily, do you remember what Olivia told you when she delivered this gown?””
I nodded weakly.
“She said it was a special loan from the boutique.””
“Exactly.””
Chloe laughed.
“Congratulations. So it's borrowed. That makes it even less expensive.””
Sarah took a slow breath.
“This is a one-of-a-kind runway sample from Maison Laurent. It was never released for public sale.””
“So?”” Chloe snapped.
“The replacement valuation is thirty thousand dollars.””
The room went silent.
I heard the faint sound of a violin rehearsal drifting through the hallway.
Chloe blinked.
“What?””
“Thirty thousand,” Sarah repeated.
My sister's face changed.
“But Emily said she only paid two hundred dollars!””
“She paid two hundred dollars for alterations,” Sarah explained.
“The boutique covered the gown's loan. The original valuation is thirty thousand.””
Chloe looked at the ruined fabric.
Then she looked at the door.
“You can't seriously expect me to pay that.””
Sarah opened her clipboard.
“I haven't even mentioned the security deposit or the incident report.””
Chloe took a step backward.
“This is ridiculous.””
Sarah pointed toward the small black camera above the dressing-room entrance.
“And before you tell anyone this was an accident, you should know that the entire room is recorded.””
My sister froze.
A moment later, another woman entered.
Olivia Laurent, the boutique representative, carried a leather folder and a sealed envelope.
She took one look at my dress and covered her mouth.
“Emily…”
My eyes filled with tears.
“I'm so sorry. I didn't know what to do.””
Olivia gently touched my shoulder.
“Sweetheart, you didn't do anything wrong.””
Then she turned toward Chloe.
“Actually, I'm surprised to see you here.””
Chloe stiffened.
“What does that mean?””
Olivia opened her folder.
“You emailed me yesterday afternoon.””
My sister's lips parted.
Olivia continued.
“You specifically asked whether the person responsible for damaging this gown would be legally liable for its replacement value.””
Mom slowly turned toward Chloe.
“Why would you ask that?””
Chloe shook her head.
“I was just curious!””
Olivia removed her phone.
“You also asked whether destroying the bride's dress could force the wedding to be postponed.””
My stomach tightened.
“Chloe, you planned this?””
“Shut up, Emily!””
“Answer me!””
Chloe's voice rose.
“You don't deserve this wedding! You don't deserve that dress, that house, or that man!””
I stared at her.
“That man?””
For the first time, my sister looked genuinely frightened.
Olivia glanced at the envelope in her hand.
“Emily, there's something else you need to know.””
Before she could continue, my phone vibrated.
It was Nathan.
One message.
Emily, please don't let Chloe leave. I just found something in her handbag.
May you like
Attached was a photograph.
And what I saw inside that bag made the ruined wedding dress seem like the smallest problem in the room.
