CHAPTER 1 — THE DOORS CLOSED
The ballroom doors slammed shut before Chloe could laugh again.
The sound rolled across the marble floor like thunder.
Every guest turned.
Six men in dark suits entered first. They wore discreet earpieces and identical silver pins on their lapels. Behind them came the hotel’s general manager, two attorneys carrying leather cases, and a tall gray-haired man whose calm expression made half the room straighten instinctively.
My father.
Victor Ashcroft.
Chloe blinked.
Eleanor’s champagne glass stopped halfway to her lips.
Dominic finally looked at me.
Not with concern.
With fear.
My father crossed the ballroom without acknowledging anyone else. When he reached me, he removed his jacket and carefully placed it over my torn shoulder.
His eyes moved to the red marks on my arm.
“Who touched you?”
No one answered.
Chloe forced a laugh.
“This is a private wedding.”
My father turned toward her.
“No,” he said. “It’s a private property dispute now.”
The hotel manager hurried forward.
“Mr. Ashcroft, we secured the exits as requested.”
Whispers spread through the guests.
Someone near the bar said, “Ashcroft?”
Another voice answered, “As in Ashcroft International?”
Chloe’s face tightened.
Eleanor stepped forward.
“I don’t care who you are. Your daughter stole a ring.”
“My daughter?”
My father looked at me, then back at Eleanor.
“I thought you told your guests Vivienne had no family.”
Eleanor opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Dominic approached cautiously.
“Victor, there’s been a misunderstanding.”
My father’s expression became colder.
“You will address me as Mr. Ashcroft.”
Dominic went pale.
That was when Chloe finally noticed the black access card lying among the contents of my purse.
She pointed at it.
“What is that?”
The hotel manager bent down, picked it up with both hands, and handed it back to me.
“It’s an executive master credential,” he said.
Chloe frowned.
“For what?”
“For every Ashcroft property in North America.”
The ballroom exploded with whispers.
My father faced the guests.
“This hotel, including the ballroom, is owned by Ashcroft International.”
Eleanor’s lips parted.
Chloe stared at me.
I slipped the card into my pocket.
“And Vivienne,” my father continued, “is not merely my daughter.”
Dominic suddenly stepped between us.
“Victor, don’t do this here.”
My father looked at him as though he were something dirty on the floor.
“You should have thought of that before allowing your wife to be assaulted.”
Then he nodded to the security director.
“Show us the footage.”
The giant screen behind the wedding band flickered to life.
The first image showed Chloe entering the bridal suite forty minutes before the reception.
Amanda followed her.
Then Dominic entered.
A terrible silence swallowed the room.
I turned toward my husband.
He had told me he had never been inside the bridal suite.
On the screen, Dominic closed the door behind him.
May you like
And locked it.
End of Chapter 1…
