Chapter 3

Andrew’s hand was still resting on Ivy’s shoulder.

“Take your hand off her.”

He glanced down before releasing her dress strap. “It could come loose any second. Natalie, this isn’t the time to be jealous.”

Ivy moved out of frame, murmuring, “I don’t want her getting the wrong idea again.”

Andrew turned immediately to reassure her. “This isn’t your fault.”

I waited until he faced the screen again.

“You have forty-eight hours to come back and collect your things.”

His brow furrowed. “You changed the lock?”

“The lease is in my name. Your belongings will be left with the concierge. After forty-eight hours, they’re going into storage.”

“Enough, Natalie. Today has been exhausting. I don’t have the energy for this performance.”

An announcement called passengers to board. Andrew checked the gate, then lowered his voice, as if he were sharing a plan that took everyone’s needs into account.

“Ivy’s investors gave her six weeks to save the launch. My schedule was already cleared for our honeymoon, so I can stay and help her. Once everything is stable, I’ll come home and we’ll pick another date.”

He was giving our honeymoon to Ivy and expecting me to reschedule our wedding.

Worse, he genuinely believed that was reasonable.

“There won’t be another date,” I said. “The engagement is over.”

Andrew stared at me, then gave a short laugh.

“You’re not ending a six-year relationship because I left for a few hours.”

“You just said six weeks.”

“You know what I mean.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m helping her through a crisis. If you force me to come back now, her career could be ruined. Do you want me marrying you while I resent you for that?”

In the past, I would have defended myself. I would have explained that I hadn’t caused Ivy’s failure or asked him to break his promise to Caleb. I would have spent hours proving I wasn’t cruel.

I wasn’t putting myself on trial this time.

“Forty-eight hours,” I repeated. “After that, the storage bill is yours.”

His voice hardened. “Stop throwing a tantrum when something important is at stake.”

“My wedding wasn’t important to you. My decision doesn’t need to be important to you either.”

I ended the call.

My hands were shaking, but I did not call him back. I sent the concierge a list of Andrew’s belongings, froze our joint credit card, and redirected my paycheck to a new account.

When I asked the bank to block transfers from our savings, the representative explained that either account holder could move the money until a court order or a signed instruction from both of us changed the access.

I sent the guests a brief email:

The wedding has not been postponed. It will not be rescheduled. Please do not contact Andrew about another date.

At eleven, after placing my engagement ring in a drawer, I received a bank notice.

Scheduled transfer from joint savings: $24,000.

Recipient: Ivy Sloan Studio.

I called the bank again. The transfer was queued for six the next morning, but because Andrew had authorized it as a joint owner, the bank would not cancel it without his consent.

I texted him:

Do not approve this transfer. That account includes the deposit for my studio.

He read the message and did not answer.

I saved the notice and the bank’s case number, then booked the first available appointment for the morning.

At 6:02, the account refreshed.

Transfer completed.