Chapter 3 - The Door at Thirty-Four.
For one second, Claire forgot the laughter behind the door.
"Say that again."
Noah looked toward the lounge, then back at the two bodyguards.
"Not here."
Claire stepped closer.
"You called me by accident ten minutes ago, and now you're warning me about an account I've never heard of."
Noah's jaw tightened.
"The call wasn't an accident."
Before Claire could respond, Ethan shouted from inside.
"Noah, who are you talking to?"
Noah stepped aside.
Claire entered.
The room changed instantly.
Music still played, but no one laughed anymore.
Ethan lowered his glass.
His expression moved from confusion to alarm and then to a smile so polished that Claire almost admired the speed of it.
"Baby, what are you doing up here?"
Claire placed the black folder on the low table.
"Celebrating tomorrow."
Ethan glanced at his friends.
"We were just having a few drinks."
"I know."
Claire's voice was quiet.
"I heard the toast."
The room became completely still.
Ethan looked at Noah.
Noah did not return his gaze.
"Claire, whatever you heard, I was joking."
"Which part?"
Ethan frowned.
"What?"
"The part where you're stuck with me, or the part where my family money pays for everything?"
One of the men quietly set his drink down.
Ethan gave a short laugh.
"Come on."
"Or maybe the part where the rules change after tomorrow?"
His smile disappeared.
Claire saw it.
So did Naomi, who had followed a few steps behind and remained near the doorway.
Ethan noticed her and straightened.
"Why is the family lawyer here?"
Claire opened the folder.
"That's an interesting question."
She removed the vendor authorization and slid it across the table.
Ethan looked at the page without touching it.
"What's this?"
"You tell me."
"I have no idea."
Claire watched his eyes.
They moved immediately to the bottom right corner where the amount appeared.
Not to the company name.
Not to Claire's signature.
The amount.
Naomi noticed too.
"Mercer Strategic Hospitality received two hundred and eighty thousand dollars from the Bennett trust."
Ethan's voice hardened.
"This isn't the place for a legal interrogation."
"Then we'll keep it simple."
Claire turned to page seven.
She did not mention Zurich.
"Did you add these pages to my signing packet?"
Ethan stared at her.
"No."
The answer came too quickly.
Claire nodded slowly.
"Good."
That reaction confused him.
"Good?"
"Because if you didn't add them, you'll have no problem helping me find out who did."
Ethan shifted his attention to the bodyguards.
"Why are they here?"
Marcus remained expressionless.
Claire closed the folder.
"Because tonight I learned I don't know you as well as I thought I did."
Ethan reached for her arm.
Daniel stepped forward before he made contact.
Ethan froze.
Claire did not raise her voice.
"Don't."
His face flushed.
"You're going to destroy our wedding over a stupid joke?"
"No."
Claire picked up the folder.
"I'm going to protect myself because of what came after the joke."
She turned toward the door.
Ethan followed two steps behind.
"Claire, the ceremony is in ten hours."
She stopped without looking back.
"Then you have ten hours to start telling the truth."
As she walked into the hall, Noah slipped something into the back pocket of the black folder.
Claire did not look until the elevator doors closed.
It was a hotel key card wrapped in a cocktail napkin.
Written across the napkin were four words.
May you like
Room 2806.
Check the safe.
