Chapter 1: The Charges
“You told me the wedding would cost thirty thousand dollars.””
Marcus’s voice was calm.
That was what made Aaliyah’s mother stop talking.
They were standing around Evelyn’s dining-room table, surrounded by wedding invitations, flower samples, champagne glasses, and a binder filled with plans for a ceremony that was supposed to happen in five days.
Aaliyah slowly lowered her phone.
“Marcus, I can explain.””
Her mother, Evelyn, immediately stepped between them.
“Stop interrogating her,” Evelyn snapped.
“You promised to take care of my daughter.””
Marcus stared at her.
“I have paid for everything.””
“You wanted this wedding too,” Evelyn shot back.
“You told Aaliyah she deserved the wedding of her dreams.””
“I did.””
“Then why are you acting like she committed a crime?””
Marcus reached into his jacket pocket.
“Because I just found out my account was charged another forty thousand dollars.””
Aaliyah’s face went pale.
Evelyn blinked.
“Forty thousand?””
Marcus unlocked his phone and placed it on the table.
“I checked the statements this morning.””
He turned the screen toward them.
“The venue. Twelve thousand.””
He swiped.
“The designer dress. Eight thousand five hundred.””
Another swipe.
“Jewelry. Six thousand.””
Aaliyah swallowed.
Marcus kept going.
“Hotel rooms. Four thousand eight hundred. Transportation.
Two thousand. Decorations. Three thousand seven hundred.””
He looked directly at Aaliyah.
“And then there are these.””
His thumb stopped moving.
Aaliyah’s eyes dropped to the screen.
Evelyn leaned closer.
Marcus’s voice hardened.
“Cash withdrawals. Transfers. Payments to businesses I’ve never heard of.””
“I was going to tell you,” Aaliyah whispered.
“When?””
She said nothing.
“When, Aaliyah?””
Her lower lip trembled.
“I didn’t want to stress you out.””
Marcus gave a short, humorless laugh.
“You didn’t want to stress me out?””
He looked around the room.
“For three months, I trusted you with every dollar because you told me you were organizing our wedding.””
“I was.””
“No.””
Marcus shook his head.
“You were spending my money.””
Evelyn slammed her palm against the table.
“Enough!””
Marcus looked at her.
“Evelyn, I need you to stay out of this.””
“This is my daughter!””
“And this is my bank account.””
The room fell silent.
Aaliyah began crying.
“Marcus, please. You’re embarrassing me.””
“I’m embarrassing you?””
He stared at her in disbelief.
“I proposed to you because I thought we were building a life together.””
“We are.””
“Then tell me where the money went.””
Aaliyah wiped her cheeks.
“I can fix it.””
“You can't fix forty thousand dollars with tears.””
Evelyn stepped forward.
“Marcus, you're making a huge mistake.””
Marcus reached into his briefcase.
He placed a black folder on the table.
The label on the front read:
*WEDDING EXPENSES*
“I thought I was making sure everything was legitimate.””
He opened it.
“I was wrong.””
Page after page showed transaction records.
Dates.
Amounts.
Account numbers.
Merchant names.
Aaliyah stared at the folder as though it were something dangerous.
Marcus turned to the final page.
His expression changed.
“There’s one payment here I don't understand.””
Aaliyah stopped breathing.
Marcus pointed at the bottom of the page.
“Twenty-five thousand dollars.””
Evelyn’s hand flew to her mouth.
“That can't be true.””
Marcus looked at Aaliyah.
“Who did you send it to?””
Aaliyah didn't answer.
Marcus slowly raised his eyes toward the second man standing near the kitchen doorway.
He had been silent the entire time.
Aaliyah suddenly looked at him.
The man looked away.
Marcus noticed.
“Who is he?””
No one spoke.
Then the man quietly said, “Marcus…”
Marcus froze.
He knew that voice.
But he couldn't remember from where.
He turned back toward Aaliyah.
“Why does his name appear on every single wedding payment?””
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Aaliyah broke down.
And for the first time, Marcus realized he might not be the groom they had been preparing for.
