The crowd gasped as Brandon stared down at the paper, his jaw tightening in absolute disbelief.
Brandon: Mom... what is your signature doing on Chloe’s late mother’s family inheritance document?
Victoria: That is a complete misunderstanding! That paper is old corporate paperwork from twenty years ago!
Chloe: This audit report is dated three weeks ago, Mrs. Vance!
Victoria: I was helping settle your mother’s unpaid debts! Your family owed millions to our family firm!
Chloe: My mother didn't owe a single penny to anyone! She built her real estate business from scratch!
Toby tugged gently on Chloe’s lace dress, pointing his tiny hand toward the side doors leading to the holding rooms.
Toby: Aunt Chloe, the purple lady was arguing with the scary man in the suit in the quiet room!
Brandon: What scary man, Toby?
Toby: The man with the big black briefcase! He told purple lady that if Chloe signs the wedding papers, the money is gone forever!
Victoria’s face went completely ghost-white under the bright chandelier lights.
Guest 1: Did you hear that? She’s trying to steal the bride’s money!
Guest 2: That’s terrible! On her own wedding day!
Victoria: Shut that child up! He has no idea what he’s talking about!
Brandon: Do not yell at my nephew, Mom!
Brandon turned to his best man, David, holding out his hand firmly.
Brandon: David, pause the ceremony. Take the guests to the cocktail lounge immediately.
David: On it, Brandon. Everyone, please follow the coordinators to the garden terrace.
The guests began whispering loudly as they stood up from their seats and walked toward the exit doors.
Brandon took Chloe’s hand with one arm and lifted Toby into his other arm, leading them straight into the private bridal suite.
Victoria followed right behind them, her heels slamming against the floor as she tried to regain control.
Victoria: Brandon, you are ruining your own wedding over a child's bedtime story!
Brandon: Toby doesn't know what a trust fund audit is, Mom! He didn't make up those terms!
Brandon pushed open the heavy wooden doors of the bridal suite, revealing a tall man in a dark grey suit holding a leather briefcase.
The man froze in place, quickly trying to close his briefcase as the family walked into the room.
Chloe: Mr. Harrison? You are my late mother’s estate attorney!
Mr. Harrison: Chloe... I mean, Miss Miller... I was just preparing the final prenup documents for the marriage contract.
Brandon: What prenup documents? Chloe and I agreed two months ago that we were not signing a prenup!
Mr. Harrison: Your mother instructed my firm to prepare an emergency asset protection agreement, Mr. Vance.
Chloe: Asset protection for whom? For Brandon... or for Victoria?
Mr. Harrison looked nervously toward Victoria, swallowing hard as he clutched his briefcase to his chest.
Victoria: I was protecting our family legacy, Brandon! This girl comes from nothing!
Chloe: I come from a family that earned every dollar through honest work, Mrs. Vance!
Toby: Aunt Chloe, the shiny rings are still on my pillow! Can I eat a cookie now?
Chloe looked down at the pillow Toby was still holding, her eyes narrowing as she looked closer at the engagement ring.
Chloe: Wait... Brandon, look at the main diamond on my wedding ring.
Brandon leaned over, inspecting the stone set in the platinum band.
Brandon: What’s wrong with it?
Chloe: This isn't my mother's five-carat diamond. This is cubic zirconia.