independent review had already begun.
Grant’s company had continued advertising future bookings beyond its existing lease term without explaining the uncertainty to prospective customers.
“I have seventeen couples booked for next year,” Grant said.
“Do you understand what happens if we lose this location?”
Dad’s expression hardened.
“Then you should have disclosed the lease situation before accepting their deposits.”
“You can’t simply refuse to renew.”
“I can make a decision under the terms of our agreement when the time comes.
And I can require proper accounting before considering a new one.”
Grant looked toward Theo.
“This is your wedding.
Surely you can convince your father to be reasonable.”
The room went quiet.
There it was.
The reason Grant was suddenly so desperate to keep everyone smiling.
He wasn’t only afraid of an embarrassing wedding.
He was afraid of losing a valuable business relationship.
Camille stepped toward Theo.
“Please,” she whispered.
“Just make your father understand that this isn’t the time.”
Dad held up one hand.
“Theo isn’t responsible for our business contract.
Don’t put him in the middle of it.”
Then he faced Grant.
“Whatever happens with your lease, we’re not abandoning the couples who booked weddings here.
We’ve already asked our legal team to review every reservation and deposit.
Any transition will have to protect those people and the workers.”
Grant looked stunned.
He had expected a threat.
Dad had prepared a plan.
“But the lease discussion won’t be decided by pressure at my son’s wedding,” Dad continued.
“Especially not after you’ve allowed my wife to be treated this way.”
Marjorie finally spoke.
“Patricia was never supposed to hear any of that.
Camille was stressed.”
I turned toward her.
“So it would have been acceptable if Mom hadn’t heard it?”
Marjorie pressed her lips together.
Camille suddenly began to cry.
“I didn’t know they owned the building,” she said.
Dad looked at her for a long moment.
“That’s what troubles me, Camille.
You keep saying you didn’t know we had money.
You haven’t said you were wrong to humiliate us when you believed we didn’t.”
She looked toward Theo.
“Are you really going to let them do this to me?”
He was silent.
She reached for his hand.
“We can still have the wedding.
We can take new family pictures.
Your parents can sit wherever they want.
Everything can be fixed.”
Theo looked down at her fingers wrapped around his.
Then he gently removed his hand.
“Would you be saying any of this if my dad didn’t own the building?”
Her expression changed.
“That’s not fair.”
“It’s the same question he asked you.”
She said nothing.
And this time, my brother didn’t rush to fill the silence.
PART FIVE — THE WEDDING THAT NEVER HAPPENED
Outside the lounge, guests were gathering for the five o’clock ceremony.
The musicians had begun tuning their instruments again.
White rose petals lined the aisle.
Two enormous floral arrangements framed the place where Theo and Camille were supposed to exchange their vows.
Theo stood in front of the mirror near the door.
He stared at his reflection for several seconds.
Then he removed the small white flower pinned to his jacket.
“I can’t do it,” he said.
Camille stopped crying.
“What?”
“I can’t stand in front of everyone and promise to build a life
