Chapter 2

### Chapter 2

Kyle Lawson and two others followed her in and set a box of monogrammed wedding favors on the bedside table.

"Don't overthink it. The whole Mrs. Hayes thing was just for show. She was filling in for you."

The title came easily to him. Chloe accepted it just as naturally.

I glanced at the favors. "Do the people at the ceremony know the bride was replaced?"

Chloe's smile deepened.

"Of course. Luc put the ring on my finger himself. Everyone saw."

I thought of the recording in the car.

He'd said that once he got the Sinclair money, he would leave with her and the baby.

He hadn't even bothered to leave me a shred of dignity at my own wedding.

I looked away. "Get out."

Kyle frowned, annoyed. "What kind of attitude is that? She's pregnant, and she still came all the way here to see you."

I pressed the call button again.

"Nurse, I need to rest."

The others drifted out. Chloe lingered while the nurse stepped away, ignoring my demand that she leave.

She stepped closer to the bed and lowered her voice.

"Weren't you always afraid of people calling you petty? Can't keep up the act today?"

I looked at her. "And the milk? Will you say that's just me being petty too?"

The smile on her face faded.

"The report's already out. Talking about it won't do you any good."

"Whether it does any good isn't up to you."

She stared at me, then suddenly raised her left hand.

"What about this, then? Do you want it back?"

A fine curve ran along the side of the setting. It had been part of the design since the first sketch I'd shown Lucian.

The ring I had designed was on her hand.

The one he'd put on mine was so carelessly made that even the details were rough.

"Keep it if you like it. Lucian's name and mine are engraved inside the band. Remember to have them ground off."

She looked down reflexively, and her expression soured.

A moment later, she yanked off the ring and threw it into the trash can. "Like I'd want anything of yours!"

Lucian pushed the door open at that exact moment.

Tears sprang to Chloe's eyes. She bent to retrieve it.

"Celeste, you can hate me, you can curse me, but why would you throw the ring away..."

Lucian steadied her and turned to look at me.

"You're hurt this badly, and you still can't leave her alone?"

I didn't explain.

"Where's my phone?"

"It broke."

"Bring it here. I want it, broken or not."

He studied my face for a few seconds.

"What did you see in the car?"

I didn't answer.

He told the others to leave, shut the door, and sat down by the bed.

"Someone put up those photos to set me up. You've just had an accident. Don't let them upset you."

So he already knew the photos had appeared.

But he didn't know yet what had played through the speakers.

I held out my hand. "My phone."

At last, he took it out of his pocket.

The screen was cracked but still lit up. I took the phone, locked it, and tucked it beside my pillow.

"Borrowing a phone gets you this worked up?" I asked.

"I need your permission to contact my own family now?"

His brow twitched. Then he reined in his temper.

"Celeste, I can explain about your mom. You wanted answers, so I've arranged everything at the venue. The press is there too."

"Explain what?"

"You'll see when you get there. We'll clear the air today, so people will stop gossiping about your mother."

I looked at him and didn't agree right away.

A text came in from Daniel Mitchell, asking which floor I was on.

I sent back my room number, then turned to Lucian.

"The hospital needs to confirm someone is accompanying me before I leave. Someone I trust is coming. We'll go together once he arrives."

His expression darkened, but he couldn't object in front of the nurse who had just walked in.

Only after Daniel arrived did I agree to go to the venue.

He pushed my wheelchair. All the way there, Lucian kept asking which company he worked for.

Daniel only said, "Mr. Sinclair asked me to look after Miss Sinclair."

The venue doors opened, and Lucian was still saying, "Don't overthink it."

But I had already seen the large framed photograph of my mother in the center of the room.

My mother's photo was surrounded by white flowers. The same image filled the screen behind the stage, with Chloe standing beside it.

The emcee's voice came through the speakers.

"Next, we have the memorial service Mr. Hayes and Miss Sutton have prepared for Mrs. Sinclair."