Chapter 1 - YOU SHOULD ASK ETHAN ABOUT VANESSA
Claire Bennett knew something was wrong before she saw Ethan.
At six-thirty on Saturday morning, twelve hours before she was supposed to become Claire Cole, she stood barefoot in the bridal suite and stared at six words on her phone.
You should ask Ethan about Vanessa.
No name.
No explanation.
No second message.
Claire read it three times.
Then five.
Outside the windows, Chicago was waking beneath a gray summer sky. White roses covered the suite. Her wedding dress hung near the mirror. Champagne waited in silver buckets.
Everything looked expensive and certain.
Her hands did not.
She called Ethan.
Voicemail.
Again.
Voicemail.
“Ethan… answer me.”
Nothing.
She called his best man.
No answer.
Then she called Vanessa Reed.
The number had been deleted from Claire’s contacts a year earlier, but she still remembered the last four digits.
Straight to voicemail.
Claire put down the phone.
For thirty seconds she told herself not to become ridiculous.
Vanessa was Ethan’s ex.
Vanessa was also a consultant on one of Cole Hospitality’s PR accounts.
They had reasons to speak.
Business reasons.
Then Claire remembered Ethan leaving the rehearsal dinner early.
“Headache.”
She had kissed his cheek and sent him upstairs.
Claire grabbed a cardigan and walked into the hotel corridor.
Then faster.
Then almost running.
Ethan’s suite was one floor down.
She reached the door.
Stopped.
A woman laughed inside.
Claire’s stomach dropped.
Not a television.
Not distant hallway noise.
A woman.
She knocked once.
No answer.
Then she tried the handle.
Unlocked.
The door opened.
Vanessa Reed stood ten feet away wearing Ethan’s white dress shirt.
Bare legs.
Blonde hair loose.
Smug.
Ethan froze near the bedroom doorway.
Claire stared at him.
Then at Vanessa.
Then back.
“…You slept with her?”
Ethan moved first.
“Claire—”
“That is not an answer.”
“It was a mistake.”
Vanessa leaned against the minibar.
“Maybe he just wanted one last night with me.”
Claire’s eyes filled.
Ethan rushed closer.
“Don’t listen to her.”
Claire stepped back.
He reached for her hand.
She pulled away.
“Did you sleep with her?”
Silence.
Then:
“Yes.”
Claire cried.
Not loudly.
One tear.
Then another.
And suddenly nothing.
The crying stopped.
Her face became still.
Ethan looked more frightened by that than by the tears.
“Claire?”
She turned toward the door.
“See you at the altar.”
He stared.
“What?”
Claire looked back once.
“Don’t be late.”
Then she walked out.
Behind her, Vanessa laughed softly.
But Claire was already opening the anonymous message again.
May you like
Because whoever sent it wanted her to know.
And Claire intended to find out why.
