“I’m saying your sister may be preparing to marry a man who has not told her why he actually left his job.”
I thought of Carmen’s last message to me.
Please don’t bring drama to my wedding.
Daniel has worked very hard to build a stable life for us.
I nearly laughed now, except nothing was funny.
“That’s it?”
James watched me.
“What do you mean?”
“You told me not to leave the airport like my sister was in immediate danger.
If Daniel lied about losing his job, that’s awful.
But why would you personally care enough to stop me?”
Silence.
Then James pulled another document from the folder.
“Because Daniel contacted Whitmore’s legal office yesterday.”
My pulse jumped.
“Why?”
“He offered to return certain company materials in exchange for a written agreement regarding civil claims.”
“And?”
“The materials never arrived.
He stopped responding.”
James leaned back.
“Our legal team believed he might be leaving Chicago after the wedding.”
I stared at him.
“Leaving with Carmen?”
“Possibly.”
My phone was in my hand before I realized I’d reached for it.
Three missed texts from Carmen.
Where are you?
Mom says your flight landed.
Daniel is sending a car if you need one.
That last message made my skin prickle.
I showed James.
His expression hardened.
“Do not get into a car Daniel sends.”
“Why?”
“Because right now, I don’t know what he believes you know.”
“I didn’t know anything until five minutes ago.”
“He doesn’t know that.”
Sophia woke and began fussing.
I pulled a bottle from the diaper bag with shaking fingers.
James looked toward the door.
“I’ll arrange transportation.”
“No.”
He stopped.
“No more arranging my life because you’re rich and I’m tired.
I need to think.”
He nodded immediately.
“You’re right.”
That surprised me.
I fed Sophia while I stared at Carmen’s messages.
I could call her now.
Tell her everything.
But I could already hear her response.
Rachel, you always do this.
Rachel, you’re jealous.
Rachel, Daniel has done more for me in one year than anyone else has done in ten.
