Chapter 6 - The Replica in the Dress
Marcus was not finished.
“There is another piece of evidence,” he said.
Chloe took a step backward.
The security team had found a small imitation ring beneath the strip of fabric Chloe had torn from Vivienne’s gown.
It had been sewn into the loosened lining.
Vivienne remembered the strange stitches she had noticed that morning.
The gown had not merely been fragile.
It had been prepared.
Chloe intended to tear the seam publicly and reveal the replica before anyone could review the cameras. She had planned for the guests to record the discovery, ensuring Vivienne’s humiliation spread far beyond the ballroom.
Nathan examined the imitation ring.
“You ordered this?”
The wedding planner opened another document.
“It was purchased three weeks ago using the wedding account.”
Chloe shook her head.
“My mother ordered it.”
Eleanor turned toward her.
“You said no one would ever know.”
The confession escaped before she could stop it.
The room erupted in whispers.
One officer asked both women to move away from the crowd.
Chloe pointed at Vivienne.
“She ruined everything! If she had simply allowed us to search her quietly, none of this would have happened.”
Vivienne stared at her.
“You placed a fake ring inside my dress.”
“You always act like you’re better than us.”
“I gave you this ballroom for free.”
“You wanted everyone to know we needed your help.”
“No one knew.”
Chloe opened her mouth but found no answer.
Vivienne continued.
“I never announced that my family owned the venue. I never mentioned the unpaid fee. I never told anyone that my father provided the staff as a gift.”
Chloe looked around at the watching guests.
For the first time that evening, she appeared small.
Gabriel turned to the officers.
“My daughter will provide a formal statement. The venue will preserve every recording.”
Eleanor stepped forward.
“Surely we can resolve this privately.”
“You stopped being entitled to privacy when you publicly stripped fabric from a pregnant woman’s body.”
“We did not hurt her.”
Gabriel’s voice remained controlled.
“You prepared her gown so you could tear it open in front of two hundred guests.”
Eleanor looked toward Dominic.
“Explain this to him.”
But Dominic did not defend his mother.
He was staring at Vivienne.
“Did you know you owned the ballroom?” he asked.
The question stunned her.
“That is what you want to discuss?”
“You never told me.”
“I did tell you. Two years ago, when the ownership transfer was finalized.”
“I thought you meant you owned shares.”
“I own sixty percent.”
Dominic rubbed a hand over his face.
“Why would you keep something like that from my family?”
Vivienne felt the last piece of hope disappear.
Even now, he was not asking whether she was frightened.
He was not apologizing.
He was offended that his family had humiliated someone more powerful than they realized.
“If I owned nothing,” she said, “would what they did be less wrong?”
“No.”
“Then my ownership is irrelevant.”
“I’m only saying this could have been avoided.”
She looked at him for several seconds.
“You are right.”
Dominic’s shoulders relaxed slightly.
Then she removed her wedding ring.
“This could have been avoided if I had believed your actions instead of your promises.”
May you like
She placed the ring in his palm.
“I will not make that mistake again.”
