Chapter 5 - Unearthing the FoundationThe name hung in the air of the bridal suite like a live wire.
Elise stared at him, her brow furrowing as she tried to connect the dots. "Nora... Vale? Wait. Is that the girl from your old college portfolio? The one you mentioned once or twice when we first started dating three years ago?"
"She wasn't just someone from a portfolio, Elise," Adrian said, his voice dropping into a dangerous register. "She was my fiancée. The woman I was supposed to marry before I left for Copenhagen."
Color drained from Elise’s face, leaving her stark white against the ivory silk of her dress. For a second, the immaculate composure she had inherited from her mother cracked.
"Your... your ex-fiancée?" Elise repeated, her voice rising an octave. "You didn't tell me that! You told me college was a long time ago, that you drifted apart because of career goals!"
"Because I thought we drifted apart!" Adrian slammed his hand against the doorframe, making the heavy glass of the vanity mirror rattle. "My father and Vance orchestrated the whole thing. They intercepted my communications, locked me out of my accounts, and told Nora I dumped her while telling me she moved on!"
"And you expect me to believe this?" Elise’s voice snapped, tears of absolute fury welling up in her eyes. "Today? Twenty minutes before my wedding? You expect me to believe your ex-fiancée just magically shows up as our wedding planner by pure coincidence?"
"It wasn't a coincidence," Adrian growled, the gears turning in his head with terrifying speed. "Elise... who recommended Lantern and Lace to your mother?"
Elise faltered, stepping back. "My... my uncle. David Vance. He's on the board of Meridian Harbor."
David Vance. Richard Vance’s brother. A high-ranking corporate lawyer who handled the Keller family estate.
The puzzle pieces slammed into place with the force of a wrecking ball. This wasn't an accident. This was a setup—or perhaps an ultimate test designed by Walter Keller before he passed away two years ago, or by the corporate syndicate that wanted Adrian safely tied down to elite Charleston society. They had hired Nora's company specifically to bring them face-to-face, knowing it would either break Adrian completely or force a catastrophic scandal.
"I don't care about your family drama, Adrian!" Elise screamed, her tears finally spilling over, ruining her immaculate makeup. "I am walking down that white rose arch in twenty minutes! If you walk out of this room right now to chase after your ex-fiancée, our engagement is over, my family will sue you into the stone age, and your professional reputation in this city will be completely destroyed!"
Adrian looked at her. Really looked at her.
May you like
He saw the fear, the anger, and the cold, calculated social survival instinct that mirrored his father’s eyes.
"Go ahead," Adrian said quietly, turning his back on the bride. "Tell your family whatever you want."
