Chapter 9: The Account Nobody Knew About
Marcus didn’t speak for several seconds.
He just stared at Simone.
The woman standing in front of him was still wearing the dress she had dreamed about.
The same dress she had shown everyone.
The same dress she had chosen after months of planning.
But now it looked different.
Not like a wedding gown.
Like a costume.
“Another account?”” Marcus finally asked.
Jordan answered through the phone.
“Yes.””
Simone shook her head.
“Jordan, stop.””
Marcus looked at her.
“No.””
His voice was cold.
“Let her talk.””
Simone’s face tightened.
“You don’t know what you’re doing.””
Jordan laughed softly.
“Neither did you.””
That was the first time someone challenged Simone without fear.
Jordan continued.
“I found it when I was organizing the payments. There were transfers from the wedding account.””
Marcus’s eyes narrowed.
“How many?””
“Several.””
The guests whispered again.
I could feel the anger building in the room.
Not because of the money.
Because of the deception.
Marcus looked at Simone.
“Where did the transfers go?””
She didn’t answer.
“Simone.””
She looked at him.
“I can explain.””
“Then explain.””
She took a breath.
“I was going to put it back.””
Nobody believed her.
Not anymore.
Marcus shook his head.
“You moved wedding money into another account and planned to replace it?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
Silence.
“Simone.””
She looked down.
“I don’t know.””
That answer destroyed whatever was left.
Marcus turned away.
Evelyn looked heartbroken.
“My daughter…”
Simone wiped her tears.
“I had a plan.””
I stepped forward.
“What plan?””
She looked at me.
“You wouldn’t understand.””
“Try me.””
She hesitated.
Then finally said:
“I thought I could make more money.””
The ballroom went silent.
Marcus frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Simone looked embarrassed.
“I invested it.””
The word changed everything.
Marcus stared.
“You invested our wedding money?””
“I was going to double it.””
Nobody spoke.
I could almost hear everyone processing the sentence.
She hadn’t spent it.
She hadn’t lost it accidentally.
She had gambled with it.
Marcus’s face hardened.
“You used money that wasn’t yours.””
“I was trying to help us.””
“You risked us.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“Yes.””
His voice broke.
“You don’t get to call that help.””
Simone looked at him desperately.
“I thought I could make everything bigger.””
I looked around the ballroom.
The flowers.
The decorations.
The expensive details.
Suddenly, everything felt different.
This wasn’t about wanting a perfect wedding.
It was about wanting a perfect story.
A story where Simone was successful.
A story where nobody knew she was struggling.
A story where she could hide every mistake behind beautiful things.
Marcus walked toward the table.
He picked up the catering card.
“You knew this was going to happen.””
Simone shook her head.
“No.””
“You knew you couldn’t pay Darius.””
“I thought I could.””
“You knew the venue wasn’t paid.””
“I was fixing it.””
“You knew the money was missing.””
“I was trying to recover it.””
Every answer was the same.
Trying.
Planning.
Almost.
But almost doesn’t pay bills.
Almost doesn’t rebuild trust.
Marcus looked exhausted.
“I don’t know what to do with this.””
Simone stepped toward him.
“Please.””
He stopped her.
“I need space.””
The word hurt her.
More than anger.
More than accusations.
Space meant distance.
Distance meant he was no longer fighting to prove she was innocent.
He was accepting that she wasn’t.
Evelyn looked at me.
“Darius.””
I met her eyes.
“I’m sorry.””
I believed she meant it.
But sorry doesn’t erase standing by while someone gets blamed.
“I know.””
She lowered her head.
“I should have asked questions.””
“Yes.””
She nodded.
“I should have protected you.””
That sentence almost broke something inside me.
Because that was all I wanted.
Not money.
Not an apology in front of guests.
Just for someone to say:
You were right.
You were treated unfairly.
Marcus’s phone suddenly buzzed.
He looked down.
His face changed.
“What?””
I watched him read the message.
Then he looked at Simone.
“Who else knows about this?””
She froze.
“What?””
He turned the phone around.
I couldn’t see the screen from where I stood.
But I saw Simone’s reaction.
The color drained from her face.
Marcus spoke quietly.
“The investment company just emailed me.””
Nobody moved.
“What did they say?”” Evelyn asked.
Marcus looked at Simone.
“They said the account holder requested a withdrawal.””
Simone’s eyes widened.
Marcus continued.
“Today.””
The ballroom went silent.
Because that meant one thing.
Someone had tried to move the money again.
And then Marcus read the final line of the email.
The line that made Simone sit down.
“The withdrawal request was rejected…”
May you like
He looked up.
“…because the account had already been frozen.””
