A man in the third row actually laughed.
Nathan glared at him.
Linda pushed toward the aisle.
“This wedding is over.”
I looked at her.
“Yes, Linda.”
She froze.
“It is.”
Nathan lowered his voice.
“You have no idea what you’re doing.”
“Actually, that’s what I thought yesterday.”
I nodded toward the side of the room.
Rebecca stood.
Nathan’s expression tightened.
I said, “Then I had an attorney read the documents you wanted me to sign.”
Linda looked at Nathan.
He said nothing.
I continued.
“The documents you described as routine financial paperwork.”
Nathan shook his head.
“You misunderstood them.”
“Did I?”
Rebecca walked forward holding the blue folder.
“The authorization attempted to give your affiliated entity broad control over individual assets,” she said.
Nathan snapped, “Who are you?”
“My attorney.”
His face twitched.
Rebecca continued, “It also included consent related to a credit facility secured against Sharon’s separately owned residence.”
Guests murmured.
Nathan looked at me.
“You told a lawyer about our private finances?”
“Our finances?”
I smiled.
“You mean mine?”
His jaw tightened.
“This is insane.”
“No.”
I looked at the guests.
“Insane was believing I needed to be ashamed because I trusted the man I planned to marry.”
My voice shook then.
I let it.
“Insane would have been discovering the truth and protecting his reputation.”
I turned toward Nathan.
“I loved you. That is not something you get to make me ashamed of.”
My mother began crying harder.
Nathan’s expression softened.
Instantly.
The change was frightening.
“Sharon.”
He took one careful step toward me.
“I said disgusting things.”
“Yes.”
“I was angry.”
“At what?”
He hesitated.
“I don’t know.”
Linda interrupted.
“He was venting.”
I turned toward her.
“For twenty-two months?”
Her mouth closed.
Nathan tried again.
“I love you.”
Several guests murmured.
He reached for my hand.
I moved away.
“Then why is your name Nicholas Bennett?”
Everything stopped.
Nathan went white.
Not pale.
White.
Linda’s handbag slipped from her hand.
Rebecca glanced toward the doors.
Nathan stared at me.
“What did you say?”
“Who is Nicholas Bennett?”
