Chapter 2 - THE NAME BENEATH THE CRYSTAL
Adrian took the glass from my hand.
He studied the etched mark.
Then looked toward Vanessa.
“Explain.”
She laughed too loudly.
“Explain what? That your friend is trying to embarrass me?”
I folded my arms.
“Ask your wedding planner for the supplier's invoice.”
Vanessa's smile disappeared.
“Why?”
“Because the invoice will tell us whether these were sold legitimately.”
Adrian turned toward a woman near the ballroom entrance.
“Claudia.”
The wedding planner hurried over.
Claudia Moreau was elegant, nervous, and dressed in charcoal silk.
“Yes, Mr. Vale?”
“Who supplied the crystal tower?”
She glanced at Vanessa.
“Mrs. Vale's family arranged it.”
Adrian frowned.
“Which company?”
Claudia swallowed.
“Bellmont Heritage Collections.”
I felt the floor shift beneath me.
Bellmont.
The company that had purchased my father's workshop after the fire.
The company that had told us every piece in the original collection was lost.
I looked at Vanessa.
Her expression had gone rigid.
“Bellmont belongs to your family,” I said.
She lifted her chin.
“Yes.”
“Then your family had these glasses all along.”
Adrian stared at his wife.
“Vanessa?”
She shrugged.
“It's antique crystal. Who cares?”
I cared.
My father had spent twelve years perfecting those pieces.
He had worked through illness, debt, and sleepless nights.
When the warehouse burned, he lost everything.
Six months later, he died.
And now the last surviving collection he had created was being used as a decoration at the wedding of a woman who had just called me scum.
I took a slow breath.
“I'm not accusing you of stealing them personally.”
Vanessa smirked.
“How generous.”
“But I am saying your family needs to explain how they obtained them.”
Adrian looked toward Claudia.
“Preserve every invoice and delivery record.”
Vanessa grabbed his arm.
“Adrian, this is our wedding.”
He pulled away.
“I know.”
His voice was quiet.
“And you just humiliated someone I invited.”
May you like
The room fell silent again.
For the first time that evening, Vanessa looked uncertain.
