Chapter 4

On the security feed, the chapel went silent.

Ethan didn't understand at first. Then he stormed forward. "What did you say?"

The manager handed him the letter. "Mr. Bellman, the venue, banquet, rooms, yacht, security, photography, and fireworks package were all authorized by Miss Castellano. Five minutes ago, she cancelled that authorization. Service cannot continue unless the balance is settled."

Helen cried, "But the wedding already started!"

"Yes, madam. Early termination fees now apply." The manager turned to the second page. "Venue occupation, reserved rooms, material loss, security withdrawal, and chapel cleanup come to four hundred eighty-six thousand dollars. Who will be paying?"

Bianca's smile froze. Her father looked down at his phone.

Gregory scowled. "Rosalyn booked it. Ask her."

"Miss Castellano submitted a written statement. She will pay only charges personally confirmed by her. She will not assume Mr. Bellman's or his guests' expenses."

Ethan pulled out a credit card. "Use mine."

Three seconds later, the finance clerk returned. "I'm sorry, sir. This card has been frozen."

Ethan handed over another. "Then this."

"Also frozen."

Bianca whispered, "Ethan, what's going on? You said everything was arranged."

Ethan clenched his jaw. "Rosalyn is throwing a tantrum."

I finally answered his call, and my voice came through his phone. "A tantrum? Ethan, I'm just done paying for you."

Everyone heard it.

He lowered his voice. "Rosalyn, have you lost your mind? I'm standing at the altar."

"Then let Bianca finish the walk. She's wearing the bracelet you bought with my money, sitting in the seats meant for my parents, and staying on the island I booked. She seems ready enough."

"Don't talk nonsense."

"The resort has footage. The jeweler has receipts. The airline has change records. Shall I ask the manager to show all of it on the chapel screen?"

Dead silence.

Helen rushed closer, suddenly sweet. "Rosalyn, honey, don't let outsiders laugh at us. Pay the bill first, and we'll talk at home."

"Helen, you said Bianca was practically your daughter-in-law. Let her help now."

Lila cried, "We don't even have rooms anymore! The hotel says they'll remove us from the island if no one pays."

"Ask your sweet Bianca."

I ended the call.

Ten minutes later, the wedding fell apart. Flowers came down. The photographers packed up. The quartet left. Guests started posting videos.

The headline spread fast.

[Clerk's island wedding collapses after fiancee pulls funding at the altar. Childhood sweetheart seen wearing disputed diamond bracelet.]

Ethan called over and over. I ignored him.

Then the messages started.

[Pay the bill now.]

[You humiliated me in front of everyone.]

[Bianca's parents only took two seats. Did you have to be this cruel?]

I replied to the last one.

[From today on, stop spending my money.]

Then I blocked him.

That afternoon, the Bellmans were escorted to the resort lobby. Their first-class return tickets had been voided with the payment authorization.

Bianca's mother finally lost control. "You said your fiancee loved you. You said everything was covered. Now we don't even have rooms. Where are we supposed to sleep?"

Ethan's face turned gray.

Bianca held his hand and began to cry. "Ethan, I didn't know Rosalyn could be this heartless. Maybe I should give the bracelet back, but it was the first gift you ever gave me..."

She said it while hiding her wrist behind her back.

Ethan wrapped an arm around her. "This isn't your fault. Rosalyn is using money to bully people."

I closed the feed.

Right on time, my lawyer entered with a stack of files.

"Everything you requested is ready," she said. "Six years of Bellman expenses are sorted into loans, payments made on their behalf, and gifts. Some of it can be recovered."

I opened the first page.

Six hundred thousand dollars in old debt.

Three hundred sixty thousand in villa mortgage payments.

Two hundred eighty thousand in Lila's school and extracurricular expenses.

Medical bills, cars, trips, jewelry, secondary card charges - over one and a half million.

I closed the file.

"Send the demand letters. Give them thirty days to vacate the villa. Remove Ethan from every permission list at Pier Seventeen."

My lawyer nodded.

"And the blue diamond bracelet. It was charged to my joint card. Have the jeweler recover it."

I could love the wrong man.

But I would not bankroll a family of ingrates.