Chapter 3: The Woman Behind the Wedding
Daniel didn't invite Patricia inside.
He stood in the doorway while she held the envelope between them.
“I'm not interested in another excuse for what your daughter did,” he said.
Patricia looked exhausted.
“I didn't come here to defend Lauren.””
“Then why are you here?””
“Because I think you deserve to know what she's been doing.””
Margaret appeared behind Daniel.
“Patricia, please. I don't want any more trouble.””
Patricia glanced at the swelling on Margaret's cheek.
For the first time, her expression softened.
“Margaret, I'm sorry.””
Margaret said nothing.
Patricia lowered the envelope.
“I know an apology doesn't change what happened today.””
Daniel finally took it.
He opened the door wider, allowing her into the hallway.
“Five minutes.””
Patricia nodded.
Inside, the small living room smelled of lavender and freshly brewed tea. Family photographs stood on the mantelpiece.
Patricia looked at one photograph of Daniel as a child, sitting beside his father in the garden.
“Lauren always said your family was close,” she murmured.
Daniel placed the envelope on the coffee table.
“What does that have to do with anything?””
Patricia sat down carefully.
“Everything.””
She opened the envelope and removed several printed bank statements.
The first showed a transfer of $45,000 from Margaret's savings account to Lauren's personal account.
The second showed another transfer.
$20,000.
The third showed $15,000.
Daniel looked at his mother.
Margaret shook her head.
“I only remember the first payment.””
Patricia tapped the papers.
“Lauren told me she received $80,000 from you.””
Daniel stared at her.
“Why did you have these?””
“Because she asked me to move some of the money.””
“Move it where?””
Patricia hesitated.
“Into an account I controlled.””
Daniel leaned forward.
“Why?””
“She said she was worried that you might discover how much she had borrowed from your mother. She wanted to keep the money separate until after the wedding.””
Margaret covered her mouth.
Daniel's voice became colder.
“And you agreed?””
Patricia looked down.
“Yes.””
The admission hung in the room.
“Why?””
“Because I thought I was helping my daughter.””
Daniel pushed the papers away.
“Helping her steal from an elderly woman?””
Patricia flinched.
“I didn't know she had lied about the amounts.””
Margaret sat down slowly.
“I gave Lauren forty-five thousand dollars. She told me that was everything she needed.””
Patricia looked at her.
“I'm afraid there was another payment.””
She removed a final document.
It was a bank transfer confirmation for $35,000.
The sender was Margaret Bennett.
The recipient was an account registered under the name of a company called Whitmore Events Consulting.
Daniel read the document twice.
“Mom, did you make this transfer?””
Margaret looked bewildered.
“No.””
Patricia swallowed.
“Lauren told me you had authorized it.””
“I never did.””
Daniel looked at the signature.
It resembled his mother's handwriting.
But something about it seemed wrong.
The letter M was unusually sharp. The final stroke of the surname was too long.
He photographed the document.
Then he sent it to Michael.
A reply arrived almost immediately.
*Michael: Don't confront anyone about this yet. I'm checking the banking records.*
Daniel placed his phone on the table.
“Patricia, what exactly does Lauren plan to do with all this money?””
Patricia's eyes filled.
“I don't know anymore.””
“That's not an answer.””
She pressed her fingers against her forehead.
“Lauren has been talking about buying a house in Connecticut. A very expensive one. She told me you were going to finance it after the wedding.””
Daniel stared.
“I never agreed to that.””
“She said you would once you were married.””
“Why would she think that?””
Patricia looked at him.
“Because she believes your mother has access to a much larger inheritance.””
Daniel slowly sat down.
There it was.
The question Lauren had asked months earlier.
The life insurance.
The old trust.
His father's money.
“Who told her about my father's trust?”” he asked.
Patricia looked away.
“I did.””
Daniel's expression changed.
“You?””
“I mentioned it during dinner last Christmas. I thought she already knew.””
“What did you tell her?””
“That your father had left something for you. I didn't know the details.””
Daniel stood and walked toward the window.
Outside, the garden was darkening.
He could see the rose bushes swaying gently in the wind.
His mother had spent years protecting what little her husband had left behind.
And Lauren had treated that sacrifice like an opportunity.
Patricia continued speaking.
“She started asking questions after Christmas. About the amount, the trustee, and whether you could access it after marriage.””
Daniel turned around.
“Did you tell her?””
“No. I didn't know.””
“Then how did she find out?””
Patricia looked at the envelope.
“Lauren hired someone.””
Daniel's stomach tightened.
“Someone to investigate my finances?””
Patricia nodded.
“She said she wanted to protect herself before marriage.””
Daniel let out a bitter laugh.
“Protect herself from what? Being loved?””
Patricia began to cry.
“I know how this sounds.””
“It sounds like your daughter planned to marry me for money.””
Patricia didn't deny it.
Instead, she pulled another paper from the envelope.
“This is the part I was most afraid to show you.””
It was an email printout.
The sender was Lauren.
The recipient was an address Daniel didn't recognize.
The subject line read:
*After the Wedding — Final Steps.*
Daniel began reading.
Once the ceremony is over, I'll have access to the shared financial arrangements. The house purchase can happen within sixty days. Mom will keep Margaret distracted about the additional contribution.
His fingers tightened around the paper.
There was another paragraph.
Daniel won't question anything if I tell him it's for our future. He's always been too trusting when it comes to family.
Daniel looked up.
Patricia whispered, “There are more emails.””
“How many?””
“Dozens.””
“Who was she writing to?””
Patricia hesitated.
Then she said a name.
“Ethan Cole.””
Daniel frowned.
“Who is Ethan Cole?””
Patricia's expression collapsed.
“Lauren's former fiancé.””
The room seemed to tilt.
“Former fiancé?””
“She was engaged before she met you. They were supposed to marry three years ago.””
Daniel looked at the email again.
“Why did they break up?””
Patricia shook her head.
“Lauren told me he was irresponsible. She said he had cheated on her.””
“And?””
Patricia wiped her eyes.
“I don't think that's what happened.””
Daniel stared at her.
“What are you saying?””
Patricia leaned closer.
“Ethan contacted me last month. He told me Lauren had taken money from his family, too.””
Margaret gasped.
Patricia continued.
“He said he had evidence. He wanted me to warn you, but Lauren found out we'd spoken. She threatened to cut me out of her life if I interfered.””
Daniel looked at the wedding photographs lying on the coffee table.
Lauren smiling in her dress.
Lauren holding his arm.
Lauren kissing his cheek during the engagement party.
Every image suddenly felt like a performance.
“Where is Ethan now?”” he asked.
“I don't know. But he left me a telephone number.””
Patricia reached into her handbag and pulled out a small card.
Daniel took it.
A handwritten name appeared above the number.
*Ethan Cole.*
He immediately dialed.
The phone rang four times.
Then a man answered.
“Hello?””
“Is this Ethan Cole?””
A pause.
“Yes. Who's asking?””
“My name is Daniel Bennett. I was supposed to marry Lauren Whitmore today.””
Silence.
Then Ethan exhaled slowly.
“Oh, God.””
Daniel gripped the phone.
“What?””
Ethan's voice became urgent.
“Tell me you didn't marry her.””
“I didn't.””
“Did she get near your mother's money?””
Daniel looked at Margaret.
“She did.””
Another pause.
Then Ethan said something that made Daniel's blood run cold.
“Listen carefully. Lauren doesn't just marry wealthy men. She uses their families to get access to their money, then makes sure they can't prove what happened.””
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“What do you know?””
“I know because I was almost arrested for something she did.””
Daniel stood up.
“Where are you?””
“I'm in Boston.””
“Can you come here?””
“I can. But there's something you need to understand first.””
“What?””
Ethan lowered his voice.
“Lauren wasn't planning to leave you after taking your money.””
Daniel felt a chill move down his spine.
“What was she planning?””
Ethan answered slowly.
“She was planning to make you look like the thief.””
Before Daniel could respond, his phone buzzed.
A message had arrived from an unknown number.
It contained a photograph.
Daniel opened it.
The picture showed him standing beside his mother outside the ballroom, holding the bouquet of red roses.
Beneath it was a single sentence.
*You should have married her, Daniel. Now everyone is going to learn what kind of man you really are.*
Daniel stared at the screen.
Then another message arrived.
This one contained a photograph of a document.
His signature appeared at the bottom.
Above it was a statement declaring that he had authorized the transfer of $250,000 from a company account into a private investment fund.
Daniel had never seen the document before.
He immediately called Michael.
Michael answered on the first ring.
“Daniel, where are you?””
“At my mother's house. What's happening?””
“I found the transfer request.””
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Was it approved?””
“No. But that's not the worst part.””
“What could possibly be worse?””
Michael's voice dropped.
“Someone filed a complaint with the company's board this afternoon. They're accusing you of financial misconduct.””
Daniel looked toward the front door.
Through the window, a dark SUV had just pulled up outside Margaret's house.
Two men stepped out.
One carried a leather folder.
The other wore a badge.
Then the doorbell rang.
Margaret stood up.
“Daniel, who could that be?””
He looked at the badge through the glass.
His phone was still pressed against his ear.
Michael whispered urgently.
“Daniel, don't sign anything. And whatever you do, don't let them take you away before you speak to your attorney.””
The doorbell rang again.
A man's voice came through the door.
“Mr. Daniel Bennett? We need to ask you some questions about a suspected financial fraud investigation.””
Margaret grabbed her son's arm.
Daniel looked down at the roses on the table.
May you like
The wedding had ended.
But Lauren Whitmore's plan was only beginning.
