Chapter 8 - The Messages Behind the Smile.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
The wedding coordinator seemed to realize she had walked into something much larger than an accounting problem.
"I can come back," she said.
"No," Anna replied.
Her voice was steadier than she felt.
"Please stay."
Thomas stepped toward the coordinator.
"There has been a clerical mistake."
She looked down at her tablet.
"The transfer cleared."
"The reference field lists Anna Mercer Recovery Trust."
Anna's fingers tightened on the arms of her wheelchair.
"How much was transferred?"
The coordinator hesitated.
"I shouldn't discuss a client's payment details in front of other guests."
"I'm the name on the account."
That changed her expression.
She looked toward Thomas.
He looked away.
"Seventy-eight thousand dollars," she said quietly.
Emily made a small sound.
Anna felt more stunned by that sound than by the number.
It was confirmation that Emily had known exactly where the money came from.
Noah turned toward his fiancée.
"Did you know?"
Emily said nothing.
"Emily."
"My parents said it was family money."
Anna stared at her.
"The account had my name on it."
"I didn't handle the transfer."
"But you knew the account existed."
Emily looked trapped.
Noah's best man, Daniel, approached from across the room and quietly held out Emily's phone.
"You left this in the bridal suite."
Emily reached for it.
The screen lit before she could take it.
A message preview appeared from her maid of honor, Sabrina.
Did Anna actually refuse to move?
Noah saw it.
So did Margaret.
Emily grabbed the phone and locked the screen.
"Give me space."
Noah's expression became colder.
"What does Sabrina mean by refuse to move?"
"Nothing."
"She knew you planned to move Anna?"
Emily turned away.
Noah held out his hand.
"Show me the conversation."
"Absolutely not."
"Then tell me what's in it."
"It's private."
Anna almost laughed again at the word.
Private had become Emily's shield whenever the truth stopped serving her.
Margaret spoke quietly.
"Noah, you don't need to inspect her phone to know what happened in front of you."
He nodded, but Emily was already unraveling.
"You all think I'm some terrible person because I wanted one beautiful day."
Anna looked at her.
"You had a beautiful day."
"You just decided I didn't belong in the picture."
Emily's eyes filled with tears.
"You don't understand what it's like to grow up next to you."
Anna felt a sharp ache that surprised her.
"No, Emily."
"You don't understand what it's like to grow up being moved out of pictures so other people can feel comfortable."
The sentence silenced her sister.
Judith stood abruptly.
"We're leaving."
Thomas nodded.
"Yes."
He looked at Anna.
"You are coming with us."
Anna stared at him.
"I'm twenty-nine years old."
"This is a family matter."
"Then why have I been the last person in the family to know about my own money?"
Thomas's face hardened.
"You are emotional."
Margaret stepped between them.
"She is asking clear questions."
Thomas turned toward her.
"Stay out of this."
"I will stay out of the finances."
"I will not stay out of watching you order an adult woman around because she finally asked for answers."
Noah looked at Anna.
"You can stay with us until you figure out what you want to do."
Emily stared at him.
"With us?"
Noah looked at her for a long moment.
"There may not be an us after today."
Emily's hand shook around the phone.
Then a notification appeared on the locked screen.
This one was from Judith.
Emily saw it first.
Anna saw only the first line before Emily turned the phone over.
Make sure Anna never sees the blue box.
Anna's blood ran cold.
May you like
She remembered the envelope from her grandfather.
And she knew exactly where the blue box had once been kept.
