“No.”
Simon nodded.
“She transferred ownership into your trust.”
I stared around the ballroom.
The room where my sister had tried to humiliate me.
The property where my mother had plotted to destroy my wedding.
The marble floor beneath Vanessa’s broken champagne glass.
It belonged to me.
My grandmother had brought me home without ever telling me.
Vanessa started laughing.
It sounded almost hysterical.
My mother stared at her.
“What is funny?”
Vanessa wiped her eyes.
“All of it.”
“Vanessa.”
“You stole Claire’s money to make me feel rich.”
Her voice broke.
“You spent my entire life telling me I was better than her.”
She looked around the ballroom.
“And all this time, everything you told me Claire didn’t deserve was already hers.”
My mother stood.
“I did everything for you.”
“No.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“You did everything so I would need you.”
Diane’s face changed.
Vanessa reached behind herself.
And began unfastening the stolen gown.
Gasps moved through the room.
She looked at me.
“I’m sorry.”
I said nothing.
She swallowed.
“I knew about the DNA plan.”
Her voice trembled.
“I knew the sample was mine.
I knew Mom was going to use it against you.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
Vanessa continued.
“But I didn’t know about the money.”
She looked at the dress.
“And I stole this because…”
She stopped.
I waited.
“Because for one night I wanted everyone to look at me instead of you.”
I thought I would feel triumphant.
Instead, I felt tired.
“You had them looking at you your whole life, Vanessa.”
She closed her eyes.
“I know.”
Then she said something I didn’t expect.
“The anonymous message.”
I froze.
“What?”
“The picture of me with the gown.”
My stomach dropped.
“I sent it.”
My mother stared at her.
“You what?”
Vanessa looked directly at me.
“I sent it after I took the dress.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
She laughed bitterly through her tears.
“Maybe part of me wanted you to stop me.”
My mother moved toward her.
Vanessa backed away.
“No.”
One word.
Quiet.
Firm.
It was the first time I had ever heard my sister say it to our mother.
Security escorted Diane from the ballroom fifteen minutes later.
She did not leave gracefully.
She screamed at Simon.
Threatened lawsuits.
Called Vanessa ungrateful.
Called me manipulative.
Then, as they reached the doors, she turned.
“Claire!”
I looked at her.
“You think Eleanor saved you?”
My mother laughed.
“She made you exactly like her.”
I thought about that.
Then smiled.
“I hope so.”
The doors closed.
Silence filled the ballroom.
I looked at Adrian.
The wedding guests had disappeared emotionally.
The cameras.
The gossip.
