At first, I thought he was joking. Connor and Vivian had spent six months turning their wedding into a luxury spectacle. There had been drone footage at the rehearsal dinner, monogrammed champagne walls and personalized perfume favors flown in from Paris. Your florist alone probably cost more than my first car. So when Ethan told me they suddenly couldn't pay the bill, I honestly thought I had lost my mind.
"What do you mean they can't pay? "asked.
"They thought Vivian's father was covering the bottom line", Ethan said, his voice shaking. "His father says he already paid what he agreed to. Connor says mom and dad promised to handle the rest. Mom says she only offered to help with the rehearsal dinner. The venue manager just closed the bar and won't reopen anything until someone sends the money. ”
In the background, a woman shouted, "This is humiliating! Vivian, I guess. Then a man barked: "You should have read the contract before you signed it. ”
That was probably his father. I took another bite of pasta and chewed slowly. "And where do I come in? Ethan hesitated enough to insult me again.
"Connor thinks... Maybe you could transfer the money. Only temporarily. We would return it to you. ”
I laughed so hard that the couple at the next table turned to look. "Are you calling the wife you didn't invite to ask for ransom money at the wedding I was too embarrassing to attend? ”
"It is not like that. ”
“It's exactly like that. ”
Claire, please. Everyone is losing their minds. ”
I could hear that clearly. The music had stopped completely now. The guests murmured. Staff moved to the back with the quiet, efficient rigidity of people trained to stay educated around rich disasters. I imagined Connor in his tuxedo, sweating through his neck. I imagined Vivian with perfect makeup and poison in her teeth. The image was so satisfying that I almost ordered dessert. Then Ethan lowered his voice.
"They say that if the balance is not established within the next twenty minutes, they will begin closing stations, ending service, and they can call local deputies if someone tries to leave without signing personal responsibility forms. ”
I blinked. So this was bigger than shame. This was a public collapse.
How much? "asked. There was a pause.
“Seventy-eight thousand. I almost dropped my fork. "You guys are crazy. ”
"It's not all that", he ran away. "It's the remaining balance of the event, service charges, excess alcohol and some add-ons that Vivian approved this afternoon. ”
“Of course he did. ”
“Claire—”
"No. Let me guess. Nobody wanted to discuss real numbers because everyone wanted to look rich. ”
He didn't say anything, which was enough of an answer. I stood and walked away from the tables to the edge of the terrace, looking down at a narrow Roman street shining gold under the lamps. My anger had cooled, clean and almost useful
"Put Connor. A few seconds later, my brother-in-law arrived, breathless and furious.
"Claire, I know this looks bad—"
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