Chapter 5: The Wedding Invitation I Was Never Supposed to Receive
The photograph was taken less than ten minutes earlier.
I was asleep, my right arm resting against the pillow, the hospital blanket pulled up to my chest.
Someone had stood outside my room and photographed me.
My skin went cold.
“Who took that?”” Olivia asked.
Daniel enlarged the picture.
“It's from Vanessa's phone.””
I looked toward the door.
“Was she here?””
He shook his head.
“I don't know.””
Olivia immediately called the nurse's station.
Within minutes, a hospital security officer arrived. He reviewed the corridor footage and confirmed that Vanessa had entered the ward earlier that afternoon.
She hadn't come into my room.
She had stood near the doorway, taken the photograph, and left.
The security officer took a statement.
Then he asked whether I wanted the hospital to restrict visitors.
“Yes,” I said immediately.
Olivia squeezed my hand.
“Good.””
I had never imagined needing security from my own sister.
But apparently, I had underestimated how far Vanessa was willing to go.
At 6:15 p.m., Daniel received another call.
This time, it was his father.
“Dad,” he answered.
I could hear the older man's voice through the speaker.
“Daniel, your mother and I just received a rather disturbing email.””
Daniel closed his eyes.
“What did it say?””
“Vanessa claims Emily has been spreading lies about her and threatening to destroy the wedding.””
I looked at Olivia.
She shook her head in disbelief.
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
“That's not what happened.””
“I gathered that. Your mother showed me the photograph of Emily in the hospital.””
Daniel glanced at me.
“Then you know she's injured.””
“Yes. And I also know Vanessa has been asking us for money to cover an expense related to the wedding.””
Daniel went still.
“What expense?””
His father hesitated.
“Apparently, she has been short of funds for several weeks.””
I sat up slightly.
Daniel's expression darkened.
“How much?””
“Forty thousand dollars.””
My mouth fell open.
“Forty thousand?”” I whispered.
Daniel heard me.
“Dad, what did she say the money was for?””
“Vendor payments. She said there was a problem with a deposit.””
Daniel looked toward the laptop.
“Did she mention anything about a trust?””
There was a pause.
“What trust?””
Daniel exchanged a glance with me.
“Nothing. I'll explain everything tomorrow.””
After the call ended, he sat down.
“Vanessa told my parents the wedding was fully paid for.””
I frowned.
“Wasn't it?””
“Apparently not.””
He opened his banking app.
“I paid my half of the wedding expenses months ago. Vanessa said her family had covered the rest.””
I thought about the forty-thousand-dollar request.
Then about Grandma's trust.
“Do you think she wanted my inheritance to pay for the wedding?””
Daniel didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
At 7:00 p.m., a nurse brought my dinner.
I barely touched it.
My mind kept returning to the same question.
How long had Vanessa been lying?
I remembered the engagement party six months earlier.
Vanessa had worn a beautiful champagne-colored dress and announced that she and Daniel were planning a small, elegant wedding.
I had hugged her.
I'd told her I was happy for her.
She had whispered in my ear, “Don't worry, Emily. You'll always be my favorite sister.””
It had sounded affectionate then.
Now I wondered whether she had been laughing at me even as she said it.
My phone rang.
The caller ID showed Paige.
One of Vanessa's bridesmaids.
I hesitated before answering.
“Hello?””
“Emily?””
“Hi, Paige.””
There was a long pause.
“Are you okay?””
“I'm getting there.””
“I wanted to apologize.””
I frowned.
“For what?””
Paige sighed.
“About last night. I saw Vanessa talking about pushing you into the pool. I heard her say it would be funny.””
I gripped the phone.
“Why didn't you stop her?””
“I tried.””
“You could have told Daniel.””
“I know.””
Her voice cracked.
“I was afraid she'd turn on me. You know how Vanessa gets.””
I looked at the hospital window.
“Yes. I do.””
Paige continued.
“There's something else you need to know.””
My stomach tightened.
“What?””
“Vanessa asked me to help her with something a few days before the rehearsal dinner.””
“What kind of thing?””
“She wanted me to tell Daniel that you had been asking questions about his finances.””
I stared at the wall.
“Why?””
“She said you were trying to get close to him because you wanted access to his family money.””
I almost laughed.
I had never even asked Daniel what he earned.
Paige continued.
“I refused. Then she told me she had proof you were planning to cause problems at the wedding.””
“What proof?””
“I don't know. She showed me a screenshot, but I didn't read it properly.””
“Paige, I need you to be honest. Did you know she planned to push me?””
Silence.
Then Paige whispered:
“Yes.””
My chest tightened.
“You knew?””
“I thought she was bluffing. She said she'd scare you a little, maybe splash you with water. I didn't think she'd actually push you into the deep end.””
I closed my eyes.
“Why are you telling me this now?””
“Because Daniel called off the wedding.””
I froze.
“What?””
“He told Vanessa he wasn't going through with it. She went completely crazy. She started calling everyone, telling them you had manipulated him.””
I looked at Daniel.
He nodded slowly.
Paige continued.
“Emily, I have something. It's a voice recording.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“Of what?””
“Vanessa talking about the accident.””
“When?””
“Yesterday afternoon. Before the rehearsal dinner.””
I swallowed.
“Can you send it to me?””
“I will.””
A few seconds later, my phone vibrated.
An audio file appeared.
I pressed play.
At first, there was background noise.
Glasses clinking.
People laughing.
Then Vanessa's voice.
“Tomorrow, everyone is going to see what Emily is really like.””
A second voice asked, “What if she gets hurt?””
Vanessa laughed.
“Then maybe she'll finally stop pretending she's the only person in the world with problems.””
The recording continued.
“Besides, Daniel needs to understand that I'm not going to spend the rest of my marriage competing with my sister.””
I stopped the audio.
Daniel had heard every word.
He stood up and walked toward the window.
For several seconds, he didn't speak.
Then he turned around.
“That's enough.””
He took his phone out.
“I'm sending this to my lawyer.””
At 9:30 p.m., Vanessa called again.
I didn't answer.
She left a voicemail.
I played it with Olivia and Daniel beside me.
“Emily, I don't know what you're trying to accomplish, but this has gone too far. Daniel is talking about canceling everything, and people are asking questions. You need to stop.””
There was a pause.
Then her voice became quieter.
“Listen, I know you're angry. I'll admit I shouldn't have pushed you. But you need to understand that you embarrassed me.””
Olivia stared at the phone.
Vanessa continued.
“Mom is already upset. Daniel's parents are asking about money. If this gets out, it's going to destroy everything I've worked for.””
Another pause.
“Just tell Daniel you slipped. That's all I need you to do. We can sort out the rest privately.””
Then she added:
“And Emily? If you make me lose this wedding, I'll make sure you lose something too.””
The voicemail ended.
Daniel looked at me.
“I'm sorry.””
I shook my head.
“You didn't do this.””
He sat down.
“I should have listened to Paige. I should have paid more attention to how Vanessa treated you.””
I stared at my phone.
For years, I had apologized whenever Vanessa got angry.
I had made excuses.
I had convinced myself that keeping the peace was more important than being right.
But something had changed.
I wasn't going to apologize for almost drowning.
I wasn't going to apologize for refusing to sign away my inheritance.
And I wasn't going to apologize for telling the truth.
“Daniel?””
“Yes?””
“Don't cancel the wedding because you're worried about what people will say.””
He looked at me.
“I'm not.””
“Then don't let Vanessa turn this into a story about me destroying her life.””
He nodded.
“I won't.””
A few minutes later, Paige sent another message.
I found something else. You need to see it.
An image appeared.
It was a screenshot of a conversation between Vanessa and a man saved in her phone as Richard H.
The message was dated two days before the accident.
Vanessa: Once Emily is out of the picture, the money issue becomes much easier.
Richard H: I strongly advise against doing anything improper.
Vanessa: I'm not asking you to do anything. I just need her to stop interfering.
Then came the final message.
Vanessa: Don't worry. After this weekend, nobody will believe a word she says.
I looked at Daniel.
“She's talking about me.””
He nodded.
But something else caught my attention.
The man's full email address was visible beneath the screenshot.
It wasn't Richard Hale's official business address.
It belonged to a private account.
And when Daniel read the name associated with it, his expression changed completely.
“Emily,” he whispered.
“What?””
He pointed at the screen.
“That's not the solicitor's personal email.””
I looked closer.
May you like
Daniel swallowed.
“That's my father's.””
