Chapter 8 - The Morning Chaos
I woke up the next morning back at the Hawthorne Estate, safe in the massive master suite Alexander had secured for us.
Despite the terrifying events of the previous night, today was still my brother's wedding day.
I put on my bridesmaid dress and walked down to the main hall, hoping the drama was finally behind us.
The moment I stepped into the foyer, I realized how incredibly wrong I was.
Florists were desperately trying to salvage crushed centerpieces that looked as though someone had intentionally trampled them.
The string quartet was packing up their instruments, arguing loudly with the wedding planner about unpaid deposits.
Lucas was sitting on the grand staircase with his head in his hands, looking completely defeated.
"What happened?" I asked, rushing over to my brother.
Lucas looked up, his eyes bloodshot from a lack of sleep.
"Mom called all the vendors this morning pretending to be Chloe, and she canceled everything," Lucas choked out.
"She told them we broke up, and now half the staff refuses to come back."
My heart broke for him; our mother had successfully ruined his perfect day just to maintain control of the family narrative.
Alexander walked into the foyer holding a steaming cup of coffee and his cell phone.
"I just got off the phone with my people," Alexander announced calmly.
"New flowers are arriving in twenty minutes, a jazz band is on the way, and the catering staff is already setting up the kitchen."
Lucas let out a ragged breath, standing up and awkwardly hugging my husband.
"Thank you, man, seriously, thank you," Lucas whispered, completely abandoning his previous hostility.
Just as the tension began to lift, one of the bridesmaids came sprinting down the stairs.
"Lucas!" the bridesmaid screamed, waving a piece of heavy stationery in the air.
"Chloe is gone, her dress is still hanging in the closet, and she left this note!"
Lucas snatched the paper from her hand, his eyes scanning the words frantically.
He crumpled the paper in his fist, his face turning an angry, violent shade of red.
"Chloe says she can't marry into a family where a mother would steal from her own children to fund an offshore account," Lucas growled.
Before we could form a plan to find her, Aunt Marlene walked into the foyer in a bright pink dress.
She looked around at the chaos and smiled brightly, clearly enjoying the misery of others.
"Well, since the wedding is off, I suppose we can all focus on the real scandal of the weekend," Marlene announced loudly.
She pointed a perfectly manicured finger directly at my stomach.
"Emily is pregnant, but we all know a billionaire like Alexander wouldn't be stupid enough to knock up a girl like her without a prenup."
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Marlene looked at Alexander with a sickeningly sweet smile.
"Tell me, Alexander, does it bother you knowing the baby she's carrying actually belongs to her former boss?"
