Chapter 4
Laura pointed directly at the glistening platinum timepiece strapped to Mark Collins's wrist. "The Patek Philippe Grand Complications. Retail value: ninety-four thousand dollars. David gave it to you this morning as a groomsman gift, didn't he?"
Mark looked down at his wrist, his throat working swallow after swallow. "He said it was an heirloom from his grandfather's estate."
"His grandfather died penniless in a county nursing home in Ohio," Laura said, her words hitting the room like sledgehammers. "David withdrew that money on Thursday afternoon. From Leo's pediatric medical trust."
The entire ballroom seemed to lose all air.
"You did what?" Mark whispered, his hand instantly flying to the clasp of the watch, ripping it open as if the metal had suddenly caught fire.
"David!" Brenda cried out. "Tell him she’s lying! Tell him right now!"
David didn't speak. He couldn't. His lips were parted, dry and bloodless, his eyes darting frantically toward the grand entrance doors where two hotel security guards had just appeared.
"He took the money set aside for Leo's corrective speech therapy and his future schooling," Laura said, tears of pure rage burning in her eyes as she pulled Leo closer against her gown. "He bought you that watch so you would think the Bennett family was swimming in generational wealth. He bought Brenda’s gown with the money that was supposed to pay our health insurance premiums for the next two years!"
"Take it back!" Mark yelled, tearing the watch from his wrist and shoving it violently into David’s chest. The platinum timepiece bounced off David’s jacket and crashed onto the floor beside the smashed cupcake. "Take your damn watch, David! You used me to launder your image!"
"Mark, sweetheart, please!" Brenda pleaded, grabbing his tuxedo sleeve with both hands. "We love each other! Don't let her ruin our future over some bookkeeping mistake! We can pay her back!"
"With what, Brenda?" Mark wrenched his arm away from his bride, disgust dripping from every word. "With what money? You told me your family was putting up the down payment on the brownstone in Boston! You told me your brother was an angel investor!"
"He is an investor!" Brenda sobbed, her mascara running in black rivers down her fair cheeks. "He has projects in development!"
"He has nothing," Laura interjected with lethal clarity. "He is an unemployed parasite who has spent four years draining every account my family entrusted to me. And when the funds ran dry, he let his mother strike my four-year-old child because the boy dared to ask for sugar."
Evelyn lunged forward, her manicured claws aiming straight for Laura’s eyes. "You ungrateful little whore! I will tear that smug look off your face!"
Before Evelyn could make contact, Laura didn't flinch. She stepped forward, caught Evelyn’s wrist in an iron grip, and twisted it down until the older woman let out a strangled yelp of pain, forced onto her knees beside her son.
"Don't ever raise your hand to me again, Evelyn," Laura whispered, her voice sending a chill through the entire hall. "You are an abusive, fraudulent old monster. And your free ride is officially over."
"Security!" David screamed, scrambling toward the two guards. "Get her out of here! She’s assaulting my mother! Arrest her!"
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The two security guards walked briskly past David, completely ignoring his flailing arms, and stopped directly in front of Laura. They bowed their heads with professional deference.
"Good afternoon, Ms. Sterling-Hayes," the lead guard said in a crisp, respectful voice. "Mr. Vance has arrived with the executive detail. How would you like us to proceed?"
