Chapter 2: The Secret Behind the Wedding
"Mom, answer me.""
Marcus was holding the invoice folder as though it had suddenly become dangerous.
Patricia reached for it.
"Give me that.""
He pulled it away.
"Why did you meet with Evelyn three months ago?""
Patricia glanced around the ballroom.
"Not here.""
"Why not here?"" I asked.
"You had no problem embarrassing my mother in front of two hundred people.""
Several guests lowered their champagne glasses.
My mother's fingers tightened around mine.
"Please, Nia. Let's go somewhere private.""
I looked at her.
For the first time that evening, she wasn't looking at Patricia.
She was looking at me with an expression I couldn't understand.
Fear.
Not fear of the two women.
Fear of what I might discover.
Marcus led us into a small private lounge beside the ballroom. Patricia followed, with Brielle trailing behind her.
The moment the door closed, Patricia dropped her polite expression.
"This is ridiculous," she snapped.
"You're turning a minor misunderstanding into a family scandal.""
I folded my arms.
"Your idea of a minor misunderstanding is pouring wine on a sixty-year-old woman?""
"Your mother was standing in the way.""
"She was standing beside a table.""
Brielle crossed her arms.
"Can we stop pretending she's innocent? She was making comments about my dress all evening.""
My mother looked confused.
"I never said anything about your dress.""
"You looked at it.""
I stared at Brielle.
"You're seriously defending what you did?""
She shrugged.
"People look at people. It happens.""
Patricia placed her handbag on the coffee table.
"Listen, Nia. You're young. You don't understand how these things work in certain social circles.""
I almost smiled.
There it was again.
The invisible ladder Patricia believed existed between people.
And she had spent our entire relationship trying to convince me that my mother belonged on the bottom.
Marcus rubbed his forehead.
"Mom, enough. Just explain the meeting.""
Patricia sighed.
"Evelyn approached me about a business arrangement.""
My mother finally spoke.
"I did not approach you. Your husband contacted my office.""
Patricia's jaw tightened.
Marcus turned toward his mother.
"Dad?""
Patricia ignored him.
"Your mother offered to invest in one of our projects. I was simply discussing the possibility.""
I looked at Mom.
"Is that true?""
Mom nodded slowly.
"Three months ago, Patricia's husband contacted my office. His company was struggling to secure financing for a new hotel development.""
Patricia interrupted.
"It was a temporary cash-flow issue.""
"Your company had defaulted on two commercial loans," Mom replied calmly.
The room went quiet.
Marcus looked at his mother.
"Is that true?""
Patricia's cheeks reddened.
"Business is complicated, Marcus.""
My mother continued.
"They requested a private investment of four million dollars. I agreed to review the proposal.""
"Review?"" I asked.
"Yes. I never approved the funding.""
Patricia let out a bitter laugh.
"Because you wanted to control everything.""
My mother looked at her.
"No. Because the numbers didn't make sense.""
I remembered something.
Six months earlier, Patricia had invited me to lunch at an expensive restaurant downtown.
She had spent most of the afternoon explaining how important it was for me to understand Marcus's family's business.
She had asked whether my mother had any wealthy friends.
Whether she knew anyone who invested in property.
Whether I had ever considered asking her to support Marcus's future projects.
At the time, I thought she was simply making conversation.
Now I understood.
"Is that why you were so interested in my mother's finances?"" I asked.
Patricia's expression hardened.
"Don't flatter yourself. We were discussing family opportunities.""
"No. You were trying to get her money.""
Brielle stepped forward.
"Your mother acts like she's some kind of billionaire, but she's never even helped you dress properly.""
My mother looked down at her stained gown.
I felt something cold settle in my chest.
"You're still talking about her dress?""
Brielle rolled her eyes.
"Because it's ridiculous. If she has so much money, why does she dress like that?""
Mom's voice was gentle.
"Because I like it.""
Patricia laughed.
"That's convenient.""
My mother looked directly at her.
"Do you know what I find interesting, Patricia? You never asked what I did for a living. You simply decided what I was worth based on what I wore.""
Patricia lifted her chin.
"Your business isn't exactly common knowledge.""
"That's true.""
Mom had always been private.
She rarely discussed work at family dinners. She didn't wear expensive jewelry, didn't travel with an entourage, and drove a ten-year-old sedan because she liked it.
After my father died, she had thrown herself into building a business.
I knew she owned several properties.
I knew she managed a hospitality company.
But I had never asked how large it had become.
I had never needed to.
She was simply my mother.
Marcus sat down.
"Wait. Does this mean Evelyn owns the hotel?""
"Several hotels," Mom replied.
Patricia stared at her.
"Several?""
"Twenty-three properties across four states. The company also manages commercial developments and event venues.""
Brielle's mouth fell open.
I glanced at my mother.
"Mom, you never told me it was that many.""
She gave me a sad smile.
"I didn't want money to become the reason people came into your life.""
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Patricia straightened her shoulders.
"Well, I suppose this misunderstanding can be resolved.""
I looked at her.
"What misunderstanding?""
She gestured toward her dress.
"We've all made mistakes tonight. Perhaps we should sit down and discuss how to move forward.""
"Move forward?""
"Yes. We're family now.""
My mother slowly shook her head.
Patricia continued.
"Besides, the wedding expenses are already paid. There is no reason to ruin Marcus and Nia's future over something so trivial.""
Something so trivial.
My mother's ruined dress.
Her humiliation.
The fact that Patricia had apparently spent months trying to obtain an investment from her while treating her like an unwanted guest.
I turned to Marcus.
"What do you think?""
He looked exhausted.
"Nia, can we please not destroy everything over one incident?""
I stared at him.
"One incident?""
"Mom shouldn't have poured the wine. I agree. But you poured it on them too.""
"Yes. I did.""
"You embarrassed my family.""
I waited for him to say something else.
Anything.
Instead, he looked at Patricia.
"Mom, are you okay?""
That was when I realized something I should have noticed long before the wedding.
Marcus wasn't shocked by his mother's behavior.
He was worried about the consequences.
My mother gently touched my arm.
"Sweetheart, let's go home.""
I nodded.
As we reached the door, Patricia called after us.
"Just remember, Nia. Whatever you think you know, there are things your mother hasn't told you.""
I stopped.
"What does that mean?""
Patricia smiled faintly.
Then she looked at Marcus.
He immediately lowered his eyes.
My stomach tightened.
"Marcus?""
He didn't answer.
"What's she talking about?""
He ran a hand through his hair.
"Nothing. She's upset.""
Patricia picked up her handbag.
"Ask your husband about the original investment agreement.""
My mother went pale.
And for the first time that evening, I saw Marcus look genuinely afraid.
May you like
Because whatever Patricia was threatening to reveal, he already knew about it.
And he had never told me.
