Chapter 5: My Fiancé's Hotel Room
The hotel lobby smelled of polished marble and expensive flowers.
It was the kind of place where couples took engagement photographs beneath crystal chandeliers, where waiters carried champagne on silver trays, and where nobody expected a bride-to-be to arrive at nearly eleven at night with muddy stains on her hands.
The receptionist recognized me.
"Miss Carter! Congratulations on tomorrow.""
I forced a smile.
"Thank you. Is Daniel Brooks staying here?""
She checked her computer.
"Yes, ma'am. Would you like me to call his room?""
"No. I'll surprise him.""
She handed me a visitor pass and pointed toward the elevators.
I wished she hadn't congratulated me.
Every time someone mentioned the wedding, I felt as though I were standing on the edge of a bridge, watching the ground crumble beneath my feet.
On the eighth floor, I stopped outside room 814.
I raised my hand to knock.
Then I heard voices inside.
Daniel's voice came first.
"I told you I would handle it.""
A woman answered.
"You said that last week.""
My heart began pounding.
I knew that voice.
Vanessa.
I stepped closer to the door.
"You have until tomorrow afternoon," she said.
"After that, I want my money back.""
Daniel sounded angry.
"I don't have it.""
"Then find it.""
"I told you the investment failed.""
"That's your problem, Daniel. I didn't lend you ten thousand dollars so you could gamble it away.""
I pressed my palm against the wall.
Ten thousand dollars.
Investment.
Gamble.
The words seemed to echo inside my head.
Daniel lowered his voice.
"What about the necklace?""
Vanessa answered immediately.
"Richard has already agreed to pay the balance once he receives it.""
"And the ring?""
"That's being handled.""
"You told me the ring was already gone.""
"It was supposed to be.""
A long silence followed.
Then Daniel said, "If Michael discovers what you've done, we're both finished.""
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"Don't pretend you're innocent. You knew exactly where the money came from when you accepted it.""
I took a step backward.
My shoulder struck a decorative table.
A glass vase rattled.
The conversation stopped.
The door opened.
Daniel stood in front of me, wearing a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. His face changed the moment he saw me.
"Emily?""
Behind him, Vanessa turned pale.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Daniel reached for my hand.
"Baby, what are you doing here?""
I pulled away.
"How much of that conversation did you think I wasn't supposed to hear?""
He glanced at Vanessa.
She immediately reached for her handbag.
"I should leave.""
"You're not going anywhere," I said.
She froze.
I looked at Daniel.
"What investment failed?""
He rubbed his forehead.
"Emily, please. Come inside.""
"No.""
"People are staring.""
"Then perhaps you should have chosen a more private way to betray me.""
His expression crumpled.
"That's not fair.""
I laughed once, without humor.
"Fair? My wedding dress is ruined. My mother's jewelry is missing. Your name is on a payment from the woman who stole it, and now I've walked in on the two of you discussing how to sell the rest.""
Daniel looked down.
That silence told me more than any denial could have.
"Tell me the truth," I said.
He opened the door wider.
"Please.""
I stepped inside.
The room was immaculate, except for a half-packed suitcase beside the bed. Daniel's jacket lay across a chair. Two glasses stood on the desk, one containing a little red wine.
Vanessa remained near the doorway.
Daniel closed the door.
Then he faced me.
"I was in trouble before I met you.""
I folded my arms.
"What kind of trouble?""
"Financial trouble. I made some bad decisions. I invested money in a business that collapsed, and I borrowed more than I could repay.""
"How much?""
He hesitated.
"About eighty thousand dollars.""
I stared at him.
"You told me your business was doing well.""
"I was trying to fix it.""
"By borrowing money from my stepmother?""
"She offered to help.""
Vanessa interrupted.
"Don't make it sound as though I forced you.""
Daniel shot her an angry look.
"You said the money was a loan.""
"It was.""
"Then why were you asking me to help sell Emily's mother's jewelry?""
Vanessa's face tightened.
I turned toward her.
"Answer me.""
She lifted her chin.
"I was trying to recover the money I was owed.""
"With stolen property?""
"It was supposed to be temporary.""
I looked back at Daniel.
"Did you know she stole the necklace?""
He rubbed both hands over his face.
"Not at first.""
"When did you find out?""
He didn't answer.
"Daniel.""
"Three days ago.""
The room seemed to tilt.
Three days ago, he'd taken me to dinner and asked whether I'd chosen the music for our first dance.
Three days ago, he'd kissed my hand across a candlelit table and told me he couldn't imagine spending his life with anyone else.
And he'd known.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I was trying to stop it.""
"By doing what?""
"By getting the money together.""
"From where?""
He looked away.
I stepped closer.
"Did Vanessa tell you to marry me?""
His head snapped up.
"What? No!""
"Then why was she paying you two days before our engagement?""
Daniel's mouth opened, then closed.
Vanessa answered for him.
"Because I knew he needed financial stability before he could make a commitment.""
I stared at her.
"You paid my fiancé before he proposed to me?""
"I helped him.""
"That's not what I asked.""
Daniel reached for my arm.
"Emily, I love you.""
I stepped away.
"Don't.""
His eyes filled with tears.
"I was going to tell you after the wedding.""
"After the wedding?""
"I thought I could fix everything before you found out.""
"How? By selling my mother's jewelry?""
"No!""
He looked genuinely horrified.
"I never wanted that.""
Vanessa scoffed.
"Don't be ridiculous. You were the one who suggested the buyer.""
Daniel turned on her.
"Because you told me the jewelry was legally yours!""
"And you believed me?""
"I wanted to believe you!""
Their argument erupted so quickly that I barely had time to process it.
Then Daniel said something that silenced us all.
"Emily, I didn't ask Vanessa for money to marry you.""
I stared at him.
"Then what did you ask her for?""
He swallowed.
"To help me get out of a debt I couldn't repay.""
"Whose debt?""
He looked toward the window.
"Someone dangerous.""
Vanessa's face went white.
"Daniel, shut up.""
He shook his head.
"No. I'm done lying.""
He reached into his suitcase and pulled out a thick envelope.
Inside were bank statements, printed messages, and a photograph of a man standing beside a black car.
Daniel handed me the photograph.
I recognized the man immediately.
Richard Hale.
The buyer who had come to my father's house.
But it was the handwritten note on the back that made my blood run cold.
*Payment received. Final transfer due after Emily's wedding.*
I looked up.
"Daniel, what does my wedding have to do with this?""
He closed his eyes.
"Because Vanessa promised Richard something in exchange for wiping out my debt.""
"What?""
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"Access to your father's company.""
Before I could ask another question, someone knocked sharply on the hotel door.
Vanessa stumbled backward.
Daniel stared at the handle.
Then a man's voice came from the hallway.
"Open up, Daniel. We need to talk about the money you owe.""
May you like
Daniel grabbed my wrist.
"Emily, whatever happens, don't tell him where your father keeps the original company documents.""
