Chapter 3 - Fifty-Seven Minutes.
Sophie pushed through the service corridor and entered a quiet side lounge behind the ballroom.
The music had not resumed.
Even through two closed doors, she could feel the confusion she had left behind.
Aaron called before she could call him.
“She is in the portal now.”
“What exactly is she doing?”
“Trying to export the executive client list.”
Sophie closed her eyes for one second.
The archive contained names, contract histories, vendor preferences, and private scheduling notes for nearly every major client Hale House Events had served in the previous five years.
Diane's consulting role did not require access to it.
“How did she get permission?”
“She shouldn't have it.”
“That is not what I asked.”
Aaron hesitated.
“She is using an administrator token assigned to your old office tablet.”
Sophie looked toward the staircase leading to the private offices.
That tablet had been locked in a desk drawer for months.
Diane's glance toward the stairs suddenly made sense.
“Kill the session.”
“I can do that.”
“And disable every credential connected to my old devices.”
“Done.”
A moment later, Sophie heard quick footsteps in the corridor.
Diane appeared around the corner, no longer smiling.
She held her phone tightly enough that her knuckles looked white beneath the warm ceiling lights.
“What did you do?”
Sophie slid her own phone into her clutch.
“I protected my company.”
“You embarrassed me in front of everyone.”
“You used my company to pay wedding expenses I never approved.”
Diane's eyes narrowed.
“Your sister deserved a beautiful wedding.”
“That was not your money to promise.”
“I was going to fix the accounts.”
“When?”
Diane looked away for half a heartbeat.
It was the first crack Sophie had seen all evening.
Then Meline entered the corridor, lifting the front of her wedding dress as she hurried toward them.
Her face was pale with shock and anger.
“What is happening?”
Diane turned to her immediately.
“Your sister decided tonight was the perfect time to punish me.”
Sophie almost laughed at how quickly the story formed.
Meline looked at Sophie.
“You fired Mom at my wedding?”
“I terminated a business contract.”
“Tonight?”
“I was going to wait.”
Diane gave a brittle laugh.
“Of course she says that now.”
Sophie reached into her clutch and removed a second folded page.
“I brought the notice because Grace advised me not to leave it unsecured.”
Meline stared at it.
“Who is Grace?”
“My attorney.”
That answer changed Meline's expression.
This was no impulsive family argument.
Diane stepped between them.
“Meline, go back inside.”
“No.”
The word came softly, but firmly.
Meline looked at Sophie again.
“What did she do?”
Before Sophie could answer, Aaron sent another message.
Security alert: private office door opened with Diane Hale's access badge.
Sophie looked up.
Diane was standing directly in front of her.
Her badge was clipped inside her evening bag.
Someone else had just used it upstairs.
Sophie turned toward the staircase.
Meline followed her gaze.
Diane did not.
That was when Sophie understood Diane already knew who was in the office.
Meline looked at Sophie, then at Diane, and the anger in her face began to shift into something more dangerous than anger.
It was uncertainty.
For most of her life, Diane had made certainty feel easy by deciding which version of every family event should be remembered.
Now three different pieces of evidence were pointing in the same direction.
May you like
Sophie did not need Meline to choose her side.
She needed her to keep asking questions.
