“You’ve made your point,” Victoria said through clenched teeth. “Now fix it.”
Eleanor looked at her.
“Fix what?”
“The wedding!”
“You mean the wedding I was paying for?”
Victoria’s face flushed.
“You’re doing this to humiliate me!”
Eleanor took a slow breath.
“No, Victoria. You humiliated yourself when you decided that my money deserved more respect than I did.”
Several guests nearby had heard the exchange.
Victoria noticed them and lowered her voice.
“Please. Everyone is watching.”
Eleanor’s expression remained calm.
“You were not worried about everyone watching when you insulted me this morning.”
Victoria glanced around the ballroom. Her parents were approaching, and Daniel was standing several feet behind her.
For a moment, she looked less like a confident bride and more like someone who had lost control of a situation she believed she owned.
“Just tell them to continue,” she whispered. “I’ll apologize later.”
Eleanor shook her head.
“I won’t authorize payments just to save your reputation. The vendors will follow their contracts, and the remaining costs will be handled according to the agreements. What happens to this wedding is no longer my responsibility.”
Then she stepped aside.
The venue manager confirmed that the reception package could not proceed without someone authorized to cover the outstanding balance, while the catering director began canceling services that could still be stopped. As a result, the ballroom that had been filled with music and excitement descended into confusion.
“Are You Still Going to Marry Her?”
Daniel approached his mother.
He looked at the white roses, the empty champagne glasses, and the guests who were beginning to realize that the reception might not happen.
Then he looked at Eleanor.
“Mom, I’m sorry.”
She squeezed his hand.
“I know.”
He swallowed.
“I need to ask you something. If the money weren’t involved, if the wedding could continue exactly as planned, would you still want me to marry Victoria?”
