Chapter 5 - The Wedding of the Century
The Vance Estate on Landings Island was a monument to old Southern wealth. Towering white columns, manicured lawns stretching down to the Wilmington River, and massive live oak trees draped in Spanish moss.
On Saturday afternoon, the estate was buzzing with the elite of Georgia society. Valet drivers parked luxury sports cars, a live string quartet played classical music, and waiters in white tuxedos carried trays of expensive champagne.
Arthur stood near the altar, looking radiant in a bespoke tuxedo. Beside him stood Eleanor Vance, breathtaking in a designer lace gown, her diamonds glittering in the afternoon sun. Harrison Vance, a stern, silver-haired patriarch with eyes like flint, stood nearby, greeting politicians and business moguls.
None of them noticed the black SUV that pulled up to the security gate.
The security guard stopped us. "Invitation, sir?"
I rolled down the window. I was dressed in my finest black suit, looking every bit the grieving grandfather. Beside me sat Marcus, holding a laptop case. In the back seat were Lucy, Rachel, and April, dressed in beautiful, simple black dresses.
"Charles Abbott," I said, handing the guard a VIP pass that had been delivered to me by Sterling late last night. Arthur had cleared our entry, believing we were there to quietly sign over the custody papers in a private room before the ceremony.
"Go right on through, sir," the guard said, waving us in.
We parked near the back of the estate. I turned to look at my granddaughters. Lucy met my gaze, her jaw set with a determination that defied her age. Rachel squeezed April’s hand.
"Are you ready, girls?" I asked.
"For Mommy," Lucy said firmly.
We walked toward the main estate, navigating past the whispering crowd of guests. As we approached the main patio, Arthur caught sight of us. His face instantly contorted into a mask of irritation, though he quickly masked it with a polite smile for his guests.
He excused himself from Eleanor and marched toward us, pulling his attorney, Sterling, along with him.
"What are you doing out here, Charles?" Arthur hissed, his voice a harsh whisper as he grabbed my arm and dragged us toward a secluded library off the main terrace. "I told Sterling we would do this in the private study upstairs. Why did you bring the girls out where people can see them?"
"They wanted to see their father one last time before his new beginning," I said, my voice dripping with calm sarcasm.
Arthur sneered, looking down at Lucy. "You think you’re clever, don't you? Fine. Let’s sign the custody waiver and the non-disclosure agreement. I’ve had Sterling draft a check for $500,000 for your troubles. You get custody of the brats, I get Rose's files, and we never speak again."
"And what about the money you stole from Rose's estate?" Lucy asked, stepping forward, her voice remarkably clear. "The $2.4 million you put into A&E Enterprises?"
Arthur’s face drained of color. He glared at Lucy, his eyes wild with sudden rage. "Keep your mouth shut, you little brat!"
"Don't speak to my granddaughter like that, Arthur," I said, my voice hardening. "We aren't here to sign your custody waiver. We aren't here for your $500,000."
"Then what do you want?" Arthur growled, stepping closer, his fists clenched. "You think you can ruin this day for me? If you make a scene, security will throw you out of here in handcuffs before you can say a word."
"Oh, we aren't going to make a scene," I said, gesturing to Marcus, who was already connecting his laptop to the library’s state-of-the-art smart-screen entertainment system, which was currently broadcasting a slideshow of Arthur and Eleanor’s romance to the guests outside on the main lawn screens. "We’re just going to show your guests the truth."
"What are you doing?" Arthur lunged toward Marcus, but I stepped in his path, my older, heavier frame blocking him.
"Sterling, stop them!" Arthur yelled at his attorney.
But Sterling was staring at the laptop screen, where Marcus had just bypassed the estate’s local network.
"Arthur..." Sterling whispered, his face pale. "He’s bypassed the feed."
Outside, the music suddenly stopped. The polite chatter of two hundred wealthy guests died down, replaced by a sudden, confused murmur.
May you like
Arthur’s eyes darted to the large French doors leading to the patio. On the massive projection screens outside, the romantic photos of him and Eleanor had vanished.
In their place, Rose’s face appeared.
