Chapter 3

I didn’t answer immediately after Lauren finished reading the note.

Miles wasn’t worried that I might mistakenly think I was invited.

He was worried I would realize I had been excluded.

“Send me that note and the full activity log,” I said. “The existing contracts stay in place, and the staff get paid. Nothing new is approved without my written permission.”

“Including the midnight dessert table Taryn requested?”

“Including that.”

Lauren agreed.

I didn’t go back inside my mother-in-law’s house. I drove toward Manhattan and called Nora.

She managed the finances at Monroe Atelier and was one of the few people who knew how much I had spent on the wedding.

“Change the account permissions,” I said. “I want all additional charges to require my approval.”

“What happened?”

“Miles removed me from the guest list.”

“I thought you and Daphne had switched rooms.”

“We didn’t switch. I’m not allowed to attend.”

I heard her typing.

“Where are you?”

“On my way home.”

“Do you want me to come over?”

“Not yet. Just preserve the records.”

I didn’t cry.

I needed to see the road.

When I reached the apartment, Miles’s tuxedo was hanging in the living room. The cuff links I had chosen sat beside the garment bag.

A note from Taryn rested on top.

Remember to arrive early for pictures with Daphne.

I photographed it, then returned the cuff links to my jewelry box.

Our shared tablet lit up on the kitchen counter. We used it for the family calendar, flights, and household bills.

Miles had forgotten to sign out of his messages.

Daphne’s name appeared at the top of the screen.

What if she shows up?

Before I touched the tablet, another message arrived.

She won’t. Ava always chooses work. Work never rejects her.

It was from Miles.

My hand stopped above the screen.

They weren’t discussing a decision made eleven weeks ago.

They were discussing me right now.

I opened the conversation.

Daphne: Are you sure she doesn’t know about the room?

Miles: She found out. She’s angry, but she’ll calm down. She always does.

Daphne: What happens after the wedding?

His reply came a few minutes later.

I’ll tell Ava after the wedding. Just get through this weekend. On Monday, we won’t have to pretend anymore.

I photographed the entire conversation, emailed the images to myself, and sent a backup to Nora.

She called immediately.

“Are you going to confront him?”

“No.”

“Then what are you going to do?”

I looked at the tuxedo hanging in the living room.

The old version of me would have waited for Miles to come home and demanded an explanation. He would deny everything, change his story, then remind me that his sister’s wedding was tomorrow.

By midnight, I might have wondered whether I was overreacting.

I wasn’t giving him that chance.

I contacted a divorce attorney and explained that I had evidence of financial deception and an emotional affair. She scheduled a meeting for the next morning.

Then I booked a hotel room instead of going to the condo I had bought before our marriage.

It had been empty for months, and tonight I wanted a staffed lobby between Miles and me.

Not the suite Daphne had taken.

A room paid for through my personal account, with access under my name alone.

Another message arrived from Lauren.

Miles has asked us to cancel your on-site access as the contract holder. Do you approve?

I replied:

No. Keep my access active.

Then I went to my closet and took out the black-and-gold dress I had bought for the wedding.

Miles wanted to wait until after the ceremony to tell me the truth.

First, I was going to see whose husband he planned to pretend to be at the wedding I had paid for.