Chapter 23 The Engagement Dinner: Cracks in The Mask
Sloane
The dessert plates had been cleared away, leaving only the faint scent of dark chocolate and the aroma of espresso. For the first time all night, I felt the heavy tension in my shoulders start to loosen. The interrogation felt like it was finally over.
Cade sat beside me, his presence solid and steady, and even Melissa had stopped her sharp comments to focus on her drink.
I took a slow sip of my water, watching the way the candlelight danced in the crystal glasses. In this quiet moment, I actually felt safe.
But the energy in the room didn't disappear; it just changed. It went from sharp and loud to something heavy and waiting.
The double doors at the back of the hall opened with a soft click. A man I had never seen before walked in. He wasn't wearing the hotel staff's uniform; he was in a plain, dark suit that made him look like he belonged in the background of a photograph. He walked straight to the head of the table where Richard sat.
The man leaned down and whispered into Richard’s ear. It only took five seconds.
Richard didn’t gasp. He simply stiffened, his entire body turning into stone. It wasn't the look of a man who was surprised; it was the look of a man who had just been caught. His eyes didn't fly to Claire. Instead, his gaze snapped directly to mine. There was guilt in that look. A real, heavy guilt that made my skin crawl.
"Excuse me," Richard said, his voice dry as he pushed his chair back. He stood up abruptly. "I have to sort out a little bit of logistics. I need to take a quick call in the hall to settle the paperwork."
"At dinner, Richard?" Claire asked. Her voice was calm, almost bored.
"It’s a minor issue. It will only take a moment," Richard promised. He moved toward the door, and then he was gone.
The door clicked shut.
A little while after Melissa put down her phone and leaned back, swirling her wine, her eyes locking on Cade.
"So, Cade, what do you actually do all day? I have to admit, I’m always so jealous of people with flexible jobs. It must be nice to have so much freedom while everyone else is stuck in an office. What does your schedule even look like?"
Cade waited a beat. "I keep busy. My work allows me to be independent. It means I can be around when Sloane needs me, but I have my own space to handle my business."
"Hmm," Melissa said, her voice sounding casual. "Hartford traditions can be a bit... much. We have a very specific way of doing things. I always wonder how people from the outside handle it. It can be quite overwhelming."
She was testing him, waiting to see if the Hartford name made him nervous.
"I imagine it is," Cade replied. He didn't look impressed. He sat there with a calm, observant look on his face. "But I've always found that people are just people, regardless of the name on the building."
Melissa tilted her head. She didn't get the reaction she wanted. Cade wasn't trying to impress her, and he wasn't acting like he didn't belong. He was respectful, but he wasn't bowing down to the Hartford power.
"Actually, Melissa," Claire said smoothly, her voice cutting through the tension. "Hartfords have always welcomed strength, wherever it comes from. New blood is what keeps a legacy from becoming stale."
Melissa was checked instantly. Claire had publicly validated Cade, but she did it in a way that made it about family values, not about him.
Melissa didn't seem to give up. She shifted her angle. "Still I’m just curious about the timing of all this.”, she said waving her hand at the both of us. “ It happened so fast right after the funeral. Like I told Sloane, grief usually slows people down, but for you two, it seems to have provided a lot of momentum. Are you sure you’re both ready?"
She was pressing for an emotional answer, something messy she could use.
"The funeral reminded us that life is short, Melissa," I said, keeping my voice steady. "We didn't want to waste any more time."
"Exactly," Cade added, nodding toward me. "Sometimes a loss makes you realize exactly what you’ve been missing."
They’ve grown up, Melissa”, Claire said, smiling at the table. “I believe they’ve realized what matters."
Claire’s answer had answered for us, removing all the emotional detail Melissa was fishing for. Melissa got her answer, but she didn't get any vulnerability. I felt protected, but I also felt managed. Claire was curating our love story right in front of us.
"I suppose so," Melissa said as she smiled and nodded. Nothing else
Before the silence could get uncomfortable, the doors opened and Richard returned.
He looked completely different than when he left. He was composed, professional, and had the bored expression of a corporate executive. He sat down and offered a casual wave of his hand.
"Sorry about that," Richard said, his tone sounding mildly annoyed rather than panicked, before proceeding to sip on his espresso.
I noticed Richard’s hands. They were steady. Like someone who believed things were in control.
Then my uncle Marcus’ phone vibrated. He pulled out his phone and scrolled on what looked like a message.
“Anything the matter, Marcus?,” Claire asked as she took a sip of her espresso.
“Yes”, he said, putting his phone back in his pocket. "Our IT team has been overly cautious. I just got an update that they were able to successfully upgrade the security systems across our internet platforms. The system had flagged some restricted server access. Apparently, someone has been trying to poke around some of our files."
My heart skipped a beat and I felt a cold shock go through my body. I remember my account was flagged when I tried looking for more details of Richard’s events. I was worried that it was me he was referring to. But still, he made it sound like some routine office issue.
"When was that?" Melissa asked. She wasn't suspicious. She just sounded like she was looking for gossip.
"They first detected it sometime last month," Uncle Marcus said, picking up his coffee. "They sent reports to me about it. I told them it’s likely some competitors. Corporate espionage is a general threat these days. ."
Melissa let out a small laugh. "Maybe it's just some bored interns looking for free hotel bookings."
A few people at the table chuckled, and the tension in the room seemed to disappear. To everyone else, the mystery was solved. It was just a boring tech issue.
But as I sat there,my first thought was relief. Nobody had caught us, I thought. Everything was fine.
Then I realized I was wrong.