PART 3
I zoomed in.
The tag showed the date and time of pickup.
10:47 a.m.
I looked toward the bathroom door.
“Chloe?”
No answer.
I knocked gently.
“It’s me.”
Still nothing.
I lowered my voice.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
For several seconds, there was silence.
Then I heard her whisper.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I don’t want anyone downstairs to hear me.”
“They won’t.”
Another pause.
Then the lock clicked.
The door opened only a few inches.
Chloe’s eyes were red.
She had removed her engagement ring and was holding it tightly in her palm.
That frightened me more than her crying.
“Why did you take your ring off?”
She looked down at it.
“I don’t know.”
I stepped closer.
“You don’t have to decide anything tonight.”
She shook her head.
“Your family hates me.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“They don’t.”
“Your sister does.”
I couldn’t argue with that.
“She hates me,” Chloe continued. “And your parents keep making excuses for her. Your father told me to rent another dress like my mother didn’t spend months helping me choose that one.”
Her voice cracked.
I reached for her hand.
She let me take it.
“She wasn’t there just because she was my mother,” Chloe whispered. “She was there because she knew she wouldn’t have many more days.”
I closed my eyes.
“I know.”
“No, you don’t.”
The words were soft.
But they hurt.
“You know the story,” she said. “You don’t know what that dress meant.”
I swallowed.
“Then tell me.”
She looked at me for a long time.
Then she finally stepped out of the bathroom.
“When Mom was sick, she started forgetting things.”
We walked into the bedroom.
“She forgot appointments. She forgot where she put her glasses. Once she forgot the name of a neighbor she’d known for twenty years.”
Chloe sat on the edge of the bed.
“But she never forgot that dress.”
I sat beside her.
“She used to ask me if I still had it. Every few weeks.”
She smiled faintly through her tears.
“She would say, ‘Don’t let anyone talk you out of it. You looked beautiful in that one.’”
I felt something tighten inside my chest.
“She wanted to see me wear it.”
Chloe stared at the floor.
“She didn’t get to.”
I took her hand.
“But you will.”
She looked at me.
“I don’t know anymore.”
“You will.”
“It’s ruined.”
“I’ll replace every piece of lace if I have to.”
She shook her head.
“It’s not about the fabric.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
I looked toward the hallway.
“But this isn’t just about the dress anymore.”
Her expression changed.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean Harper didn’t make a mistake.”
Chloe said nothing.
“She deliberately went upstairs.”
“She knew where it was.”
“Yes.”
“She opened the garment bag.”
“Yes.”
“She carried it outside.”
“Yes.”
“And then she threw it into the pool.”
“Yes.”
Chloe slowly nodded.
“She wanted to hurt me.”
I didn’t answer.
Because that was exactly what I was beginning to believe.
Then my phone vibrated.
I looked down.
It was a text from the boutique.
We received your photos. Please do not attempt to dry the gown yourself. We need to inspect the fabric immediately.
A second message arrived.
Also, we noticed something unusual about the garment bag in your photo. Please call us.
I stared at the screen.
Something unusual?
I called immediately.
A woman answered.
“Hello, this is Margaret from Bell & Rose Bridal.”
“This is Chloe’s fiancé.”
“Yes. We received your photos.”
“What did you notice?”
There was a pause.
“The garment bag appears to be different.”
“Different how?”
“The one in your photo from this morning had our silver security seal on the zipper.”
I looked at Chloe.
She leaned closer.
“What does that mean?”
“It means the bag that came back from your parents’ house shouldn’t have been opened and resealed without leaving visible damage.”
I looked toward the laundry room.
My stomach dropped.
“Are you saying somebody opened it?”
“Yes.”
“Could it have happened at the house?”
“Absolutely.”
“Could Harper have opened it?”
“I can’t tell you who did it.”
“But you’re saying it was opened.”
“I’m saying the seal was broken.”
I thanked her and hung up.
Chloe stared at me.
“She broke the seal.”
“I think so.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
I stood up.
Then I remembered something.
Harper had said something by the pool.
I thought it was completely zipped shut.
But if she really thought it was zipped shut, why had the security seal been broken?
And why had she said that before anyone mentioned the seal?
I went downstairs.
The family was still gathered in the kitchen.
Nobody looked particularly guilty.
That was almost worse.
Harper was sitting at the counter eating strawberries.
She glanced at me.
“Is Chloe okay?”
I didn’t answer.
Mom frowned.
“She’s very upset.”
“I know.”
Dad poured himself another drink.
“It’s going to be fine.”
I placed my phone on the kitchen counter.
“Where is the video?”
Harper stopped chewing.
“What video?”
“The one you took.”
She swallowed.
“I didn’t take a video.”
“You did.”
“No, I didn’t.”
I stared at her.
“You had your phone out when I came outside.”
“So?”
“You were standing next to the pool.”
“So were six other people.”
“Harper.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Why are you interrogating me?”
“Because my wife’s wedding dress ended up in the pool.”
“You’re acting like I murdered somebody.”
I leaned forward.
“No. I’m acting like someone deliberately destroyed something that belonged to my wife.”
Dad slammed his glass down.
“Enough.”
I turned toward him.
“No.”
The room went silent.
Dad stared at me.
I had never spoken to him like that.
Not once.
“You don’t get to tell me enough anymore.”
“Watch your tone.”
“My tone?”
I laughed once.
“You’ve spent my entire life telling me Harper is just being Harper.”
Mom stepped between us.
“Please. Not tonight.”
“No, Mom.”
I looked at her.
“Tonight is exactly when this needs to happen.”
Harper stood.
“I’m going upstairs.”
“Stay.”
She froze.
“What?”
“You’re staying.”
She looked at Dad.
Dad looked at me.
For the first time, he seemed unsure which side he wanted to take.
Then Harper crossed her arms.
“What do you want?”
“The truth.”
“I already told you.”
“No.”
I pulled out my phone.
“The boutique confirmed that the security seal was broken.”
Harper’s face changed.
Only slightly.
But I saw it.
“You opened the bag.”
She scoffed.
“So what?”
“So you lied.”
“I didn’t lie.”
“You said you thought it was zipped shut.”
“It was.”
“No.”
I stepped closer.
“You opened it.”
She stared at me.
Then she smiled.
“Fine.”
Mom whispered, “Harper.”
Harper shrugged.
“Yes. I opened it.”
Chloe appeared at the top of the stairs.
Nobody noticed her at first.
I did.
Harper continued.
“I wanted to see it.”
“You wanted to see the dress.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She rolled her eyes.
“Because everyone kept talking about it.”
“That doesn’t explain the pool.”
“I was angry.”
The words came out almost casually.
“Why?”
She looked at me.
“Because everything in this house has been about Chloe for months.”
Mom’s face tightened.
“Harper.”
“No, Mom. I’m serious.”
Harper’s eyes were suddenly wet.
“You have no idea what it’s like.”
“What?”
“To watch everyone treat her like some perfect angel.”
Chloe slowly descended the stairs.
“I never asked anyone to do that.”
Harper looked at her.
“You didn’t have to.”
“What did I ever do to you?”
Harper laughed bitterly.
“You came here and suddenly everything changed.”
“That isn’t my fault.”
“You took him.”
I stared at her.
“What?”
“You took my brother.”
The room became silent.
Harper’s voice cracked.
“Before you, he was always here.”
I shook my head.
“Harper, I’m your brother. I’m not your property.”
“You don’t understand.”
“No. You don’t understand.”
She wiped her eyes angrily.
“I thought after the wedding we’d still be close.”
“We can be.”
“Not like before.”
“No,” I said. “Because I’m getting married.”
“You already are.”
That stopped me.
“What did you say?”
She looked at Chloe.
“You two already signed the papers.”
Chloe went completely still.
“How did you know that?”
Harper’s expression changed.
Mom looked at her.
Dad lowered his glass.
Nobody spoke.
I stepped forward.
“Harper.”
She looked away.
“Answer her.”
“I heard Mom talking.”
“When?”
“A while ago.”
“Where?”
She didn’t answer.
“Where, Harper?”
“In the hallway.”
I studied her face.
Then something occurred to me.
“Did you go through our things?”
She immediately said no.
Too quickly.
I walked upstairs.
Chloe followed.
We entered the guest room.
Our suitcases were against the wall.
I opened mine.
Nothing seemed wrong.
Then Chloe walked to the nightstand.
She opened the drawer.
Her face went pale.
“My folder.”
“What?”
“My marriage documents.”
I looked inside.
The folder was gone.
“What was in it?”
“Our civil marriage certificate. Copies of the insurance paperwork. My mother’s death certificate.”
My heart started pounding.
“Did you have it yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
We searched the room.
Nothing.
I checked my suitcase.
Nothing.
Then Chloe whispered.
“Wait.”
She pointed toward the closet.
There was a small wooden box on the top shelf.
I pulled it down.
It was mine.
I had used it to keep important documents when I was younger.
I opened it.
Empty.
Except for one folded piece of paper.
I unfolded it.
It was a photocopy of our marriage certificate.
Across the bottom, someone had written three words in black ink.
YOU ALREADY LOST.
Chloe covered her mouth.
I felt cold.
This was no longer a prank.
Someone had been inside our room.
Someone had searched through our private documents.
And someone had known exactly what they were looking for.
I took a photograph of the note.
Then another.
“What’s happening?” Chloe whispered.
“I don’t know.”
“But somebody has been watching us.”
“Yes.”
She looked terrified.
I pulled her against me.
“We’re leaving this house tonight.”
She nodded.
We started packing.
But before we could finish, I heard footsteps in the hallway.
The door opened.
Dad stood there.
He looked at the box in my hand.
Then he looked at Chloe.
“I think you two need to hear something.”
“What?”
Dad closed the door behind him.
“Harper didn’t come up with this by herself.”
My blood ran cold.
“What are you talking about?”
Dad rubbed both hands over his face.
“I should have told you earlier.”
“Told me what?”
He looked at Chloe.
Then at me.
“Your mother knew Harper was planning something.”
I stared at him.
“What?”
“She knew Harper was angry.”
“That isn’t what you said.”
Dad’s voice dropped.
“She knew Harper had been asking questions about your finances.”
Chloe’s face changed.
“My finances?”
Dad nodded.
“Your house. Your savings. The insurance policy.”
I felt my stomach drop.
“What insurance policy?”
Dad didn’t answer immediately.
Then he said something that made the entire room seem to tilt.
“The life insurance policy you took out after your civil marriage.”
Chloe grabbed my arm.
“How much?”
Dad looked at me.
“Two million dollars.”
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then I heard footsteps running downstairs.
Harper.
Dad rushed after her.
I followed.
When we reached the kitchen, Harper was standing beside the counter.
The three things I had placed there earlier were now sitting in front of her.
My phone.
The damaged wedding dress photographs.
And the folded note.
She looked at them.
Then she looked at me.
For the first time since I had known her, Harper wasn’t smiling.
I walked slowly toward the table.
“Sit down.”
She didn’t move.
“Harper.”
She sat.
I placed my phone beside the note.
“I know about the insurance policy.”
Her face drained of color.
Mom came into the kitchen.
“What is going on?”
I looked at her.
“Ask your daughter.”
Harper’s eyes filled with tears.
“I didn’t know about the policy.”
Dad immediately looked at her.
“You’re lying.”
She turned toward him.
“You knew?”
Dad didn’t answer.
That was the moment I realized there was something much bigger happening inside my family.
Something they had been hiding from me.
Something that had started long before the wedding dress entered the pool.
And as I looked at the three things on the table, I finally understood why Harper wasn’t laughing anymore.
Because the third thing wasn’t a photograph.
It was a bank statement.
And beside the highlighted transaction was a name I had never expected to see.
HARPER REYNOLDS.
The amount transferred was $18,500.
The date was three weeks earlier.
And underneath it was a reference number connected to something even more disturbing.
Wedding Cancellation Deposit.
I looked at my sister.
“Tell me why you paid someone eighteen thousand five hundred dollars to cancel my wedding.”
Harper began to cry.
But she still didn’t answer.
Then Chloe noticed something I hadn’t.
She pointed at the bottom of the statement.
“Look at the account number.”
I leaned closer.
My heart stopped.
It wasn’t Harper’s account.
It was my mother’s.
And the transfer had been authorized from a computer inside this house.
Mom’s face went completely white.
Dad looked at her.
“What did you do?”
She whispered one sentence.
“I was trying to protect my family.”
And suddenly, I knew the wedding wasn’t the real target.
I was.
