Chapter 0005
Chapter 0035
The day of the wedding arrived before I knew it.
Everything was so busy; the entire morning felt hectle as I cushed around, trying to ensure that every detail was handled appropriately..
I wasn’t sure where David was, except that he had told me he needed to arrange parking and transportation. I suspected he was actually avoiding all the hard work, but I didn’t comment on it.
My mood was surprisingly upbeat, partially because I had spoken to Alexander early this morning. I made sure that he was planning on attending the ceremony and that a of the things I needed for my plan were secured.
Alexander had taken care of the list of items I had sent him. He’d arranged for everything to be delivered after the ceremony started so that no one would see things being brought into the building. I didn’t want anything to spoil the surprise.
I had figured out exactly how I could expose Amanda and David in the act, all the while making it seem like I was only being a caring friend.
I would finally expose the truth, and there would be no way for Amanda and David to deny it.
Of course, this was a lot of work to ask of Alexander. I owed him once again. But when I asked him what he wanted in exchange, he told me to consider it a wedding gift.
Part of me was suspicious of his willingness to go out of his way for me. Of course, it would all benefit him in the end, too.
I made sure the staff at the mansion knew that people would be drinking and that every available room should be ready for guests. I didn’t want anyone to feel they had to drive home unsafely if they had too much to drink.
Besides, the more people who stayed the night, the more witnesses there would be when I exposed David and Amanda. I wanted as many people as possible to see it with their own eyes–David wouldn’t be able to lie his way out of it with a crowd.
When the bar staff arrived, I went to speak with them. We had a number of very fancy and delicious cocktails on the menu, all with a high alcohol content. I wanted to ensure the staff knew to serve as much as possible, especially since we were providing transportation and rooms for the guests.
The head bartender smiled kindly at me as I approached her. She was an older woman with a very professional
appearance.
“Good morning, Ms. Rowan,” she said warmly.
“Good morning,” I replied. “Thank you for arriving so early.”
“Of course,” she said. “It gives us time to make sure everything is ready and take a lunch break before the guests start arriving. Is there anything you need help with?”
“I just wanted to confirm that you’re aware it’s an open bar I’m sure you’ve already been told, but—”
“Oh no,” she said with a frown. “We were informed that guests would have to pay for their drinks.”
I put a hand to my chest in a show of shock. “That’s not what David and I agreed on at all.”
I had worried this might happen. David had already spent more on the wedding than he’d planned, so of course he’d try to save money by changing the bar arrangement and making the guests pay for their own drinks.
“I’m sorry, but that’s what we were told,” the bartender said, glancing over her shoulder at the rest of her staff,
+25 BONUS
Chapter 0033
who were unpacking boxes of alcohol and glasses.
“I’m sure it’s just a miscommunication,” I said. “Please make sure that all of your staff know the drinks are free- for our guests. I’ll be paying for everything. We want everyone to celebrate with us, and they shouldn’t have to worry about the cost of doing that.”
“Our policy is to collect payment for open bars before the event,” the bartender said nervously.
I knew that she was expecting me to get upset and berate her. It wasn’t her fault though, and it would only make me look like a spoiled brat to take my frustration out on her Instead, I smiled brightly at her.
“I’ll have my father come pay you as soon as he arrives,” I said.
I felt a little bad about springing such a large bill on my father, but I knew he wouldn’t mind. He was eager to contribute to the wedding and make sure I got everything exactly as I wanted it.
“I’ll inform the staff,” she said. “I’m so glad you came to see me so we could straighten this out before the guests arrive.”
“That would have been embarrassing, “I agreed.
As I turned to walk away, I noticed Amanda coming in through the front door. She had agreed to come early to help me set up, but she was running late. She was carrying garment bag over her arm along with a shoebox.
“You made it!” I said, holding my arms out for a hug as I approached her.
Amanda stepped forward and awkwardly hugged me with her one free arm. “I’m sorry I’m running a little late,” she said.
It was clear to me that she was flustered and upset. For a moment, my old affection for her reared its head, and I felt bad. It was difficult sometimes to remember just how close we had once been.
It was still so easy for me to read Amanda’s feelings. If I didn’t have the memory of her killing me, I’d never be able to go through with my plan for revenge.
“You seem upset,” I pointed out. “Is everything all right?”
She sighed and shook her head. “I’m just flustered,” she said. “The dress I had intended to wear… well, I had to get a new one at the last moment.”
“Why couldn’t you wear the dress we picked out together?” I asked in confusion. Amanda and I had spent hours at the dress shop finding something for her that she liked. It was a dark purple chiffon gown that was classy, but still fashionable. She had told me she loved it.
“It’s a long story; I don’t want to get into it,” she answered.
“That’s very stressful,” I said. “I’m glad you were able to find something, though. Why don’t you take your things to the bridal suite, and then I could use your help setting up the table decorations?”
“Okay,” she said. “It’s just up the stairs on the left, correct?
“That’s right. There may already be some people there getting things prepared, but don’t mind them.”
Amanda turned and hurried towards the stairs. As she went, she must not have been paying attention because she bumped into one of the employees bustling around, setting up tables and chairs. The garment bag and shoebox fell from Amanda’s arms, and she cursed in frustration.
As the bag fell, it opened partially, and I caught a glimpse of the dress.
My heart went cold as I saw the whitish silver color.
It was only a quick look, but I could tell enough to know that the dress looked very similar to the one I had chosen
at the dress shop the one Alexander had complimented.
I stared at Amanda as she gathered up her things and rushed up the stairs
Was she intending to wear a dress just like mine?
