Chapter 4

The next day, Grady came to see me.

By the time he arrived, I'd already packed my clothes and gathered all of my important documents.

He opened a thermal container and set a bowl of chicken soup in front of me.

"Let's put yesterday behind us. I've already confirmed everything with the hotel. Our engagement party is tonight."

I looked up at him. "Tonight?"

"That's right." Grady took a seat across from me. "Grandma mistook the wrong person yesterday. I know that hurt you. Tonight, I'll introduce you to everyone properly, and I'll give you the tennis bracelet."

I asked, "What about Mallory?"

He frowned. "Of course she's coming. She's done so much for you. Stop picking on her."

I lowered my eyes to my phone. A new message from my manager had just come in.

[The Blackridge project assignment has been sent. Please sign and return it.]

I tapped "Accept."

"I'll pick you up at six. When we get there, keep your comments to yourself. Don't bring up what happened yesterday."

I was about to respond when his phone rang.

On the screen, Mallory stood inside a bridal boutique wearing a white gown.

I recognized it immediately. It was the engagement dress I'd ordered three months ago. I'd personally chosen every pearl sewn into the waistline, and my name was even embroidered inside.

Mallory turned slowly in front of the mirror. "Grady, what do you think? The cards say Brenda shouldn't wearwhite today. So I'll wear it for her for a little while and absorb the bad luck."

As she spoke, she deliberately tugged at the waist. "It's a little tight."

A sharp snap echoed through the room as the string of pearls along the side of the dress broke apart. Several pearls scattered across the floor.

Mallory glanced down and smiled as if it were nothing. "Oops. Brenda won't mind, will she?"

Before I could say anything, Grady spoke first, "If it's ruined, we'll buy another one."

I turned to look at him. I'd altered that dress four different times.

He'd been with me for every fitting, and he knew how much I loved it. And yet, he didn't have a single word of reproach for her.

Mallory smiled. "So what should I wear tonight?"

Grady rubbed his forehead. "Pick whatever you like."

"I already did." She turned the camera. A white gown hung on the rack beside her. It looked almost identical to a wedding dress.

"The cards say I have to wear white tonight to protect the Cabrera family from bad luck."

I looked at Grady. "She's wearing white to my engagement party?"

Mallory laughed. "Brenda, it's just a dress. You're not seriously going to fight me over a color, are you?"

Grady ended the video call and looked at me. "Let her wear whatever she wants. You're the star of tonight. No one's going to mistake her for you."

I didn't argue. "Okay."

Seeing me give in, he reached over and gently ruffled my hair. "That's better. You're still Mrs. Cabrera. Wait for me tonight, and don't be upset anymore."

Then he got up and left.

I glanced at the time. The movers would be here in twenty minutes.

I placed the keys, engagement ring, and access card Grady had left with me into a cardboard box.

I turned off our shared location. Then I removed him as my emergency contact.

At eleven o'clock sharp, the movers arrived. I only took my belongings. Then I headed to the airport alone.

At exactly six that evening, Grady arrived at my apartment. He was carrying the engagement dress he'd brought for me. The box that had once held my gown now contained a hastily purchased replacement.

He knocked on the door. "Brenda, open up."

No one answered.

He frowned and knocked again. "We're running out of time. If you're upset, we can talk after the engagement party."

Still nothing.

He took out his key and unlocked the door.

The apartment was dark. The closet and the shoe cabinet were empty.

Even the wedding countdown I'd taped to the refrigerator was gone, leaving behind only a strip of clear tape.

A single cardboard box sat in the middle of the dining table. Inside were the keys, engagement ring, and access card he'd left behind.

On top lay the note I'd torn from my memo pad.

"The wedding is off. The house is yours to give to Mallory. As for you, I don't want you anymore."