Not loud.
Not theatrical.
A small, broken sound.
“Nate,” she whispered. “Tell them.”
Nathaniel looked at her then.
And for the first time, I saw his mask slip.
Not into guilt.
Into annoyance.
As if Chloe had become a chair blocking his path.
“Chloe,” he said quietly, “don’t say anything.”
That was the moment she understood he was not protecting her.
He was protecting himself.
Investigator Ruiz stepped forward.
“Nathaniel Sterling, you are under arrest for securities fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy, and falsification of financial statements related to Sterling residential investment funds.”
A guest near the front whispered, “Oh my God.”
Another said, “I invested in Parkline.”
Someone else stood abruptly and knocked over a chair.
Chloe backed away from Nathaniel.
He lowered his voice.
“Chloe. Come here.”
She shook her head.
One of the officers moved behind him.
Nathaniel’s eyes swept the room.
For one terrible second, they landed on me.
Recognition flickered.
He knew exactly who I was.
Not as Chloe’s sister.
As the person who had looked too closely.
His expression hardened.
“You,” he said.
Every head turned.
I did not move.
My father whispered something that sounded like a curse.
Nathaniel laughed once.
“Really? The bridesmaid?”
Investigator Ruiz said, “Mr. Sterling, turn around.”
But he kept looking at me.
“You have no idea what you’ve done.”
I stood.
The woman in navy behind me stood too.
“I know exactly what I’ve done,” I said.
My voice carried farther than I expected.
