Chapter 3: The Secret Before The Wedding
The call lasted less than a minute.
But it changed everything.
Margaret ended it with shaking fingers.
Daniel immediately noticed.
“Who was that?””
She looked at him.
“I don’t know if I should tell you.””
They were standing outside the ballroom.
The wedding music had stopped behind them.
The guests were still inside, whispering about what they had witnessed.
Daniel took a breath.
“Mom.””
Margaret looked toward the closed doors.
“I wanted today to be about happiness.””
“It isn’t anymore.””
She looked down.
“I was trying to protect you.””
Daniel’s expression softened.
“You always do.””
Margaret sighed.
The caller had been Evelyn Carter.
An old neighbor who had known Daniel since childhood.
And she had one question.
“Did Lauren ever tell you about the money?””
Daniel frowned.
“What money?””
Margaret closed her eyes.
“That’s what I was afraid of.””
Three weeks earlier, Margaret had noticed something strange.
Lauren had started visiting her house more often.
At first, Margaret was happy.
She thought maybe they were finally becoming closer.
One afternoon, Lauren sat at Margaret’s kitchen table drinking tea.
“I think we misunderstood each other,” Lauren said.
Margaret smiled.
“I would like that.””
Lauren looked around the small kitchen.
“You’ve lived here a long time.””
“Yes.””
“It must be difficult.””
Margaret frowned.
“Difficult?””
“Maintaining everything.””
Margaret understood.
She had heard that tone before.
The tone people used when they were pretending to care.
“I manage.””
Lauren smiled.
“I know Daniel worries about you.””
“He does.””
“He wants you comfortable.””
Margaret placed her cup down.
“Why are you asking?””
Lauren leaned back.
“I was thinking about the future.””
“What future?””
“Ours.””
Margaret waited.
Lauren continued.
“Daniel and I want to build a certain lifestyle.””
“I hope you do.””
“And sometimes people need to make practical decisions.””
Margaret felt uneasy.
“What kind of decisions?””
Lauren smiled.
“Selling unnecessary things.””
Margaret looked at her.
“My home isn’t unnecessary.””
“I didn’t say that.””
“You implied it.””
Lauren sighed.
“This is exactly what I mean.””
“What?””
“You take everything personally.””
Margaret said nothing.
Then Lauren looked toward the hallway.
“I just think Daniel should stop carrying responsibilities that aren’t his.””
Margaret’s heart sank.
Because she finally understood.
Lauren was not trying to know her.
She was measuring her.
Back outside the ballroom, Daniel listened silently.
“You never told me this.””
Margaret shook her head.
“Because I didn’t want to create problems between you.””
Daniel looked away.
“Mom…”
“I thought maybe I was wrong.””
“You weren’t.””
She touched his arm.
“Love makes people blind.””
Daniel looked back toward the ballroom doors.
Inside was the woman he almost married.
The woman he defended.
The woman he trusted.
His phone suddenly buzzed.
A message appeared.
Unknown number.
Daniel opened it.
His face changed.
It was a photograph.
A document.
A signature.
And underneath it were six words:
“She planned this from the beginning.””
Daniel stared at the screen.
Then he whispered:
“Who sent this?””
Margaret looked at the phone.
And recognized the signature.
Her voice trembled.
“Daniel…”
May you like
He looked at her.
“That’s Lauren’s handwriting.””
