The private chandelier room inside the Grandview Club smelled of heavy gardenias and polished mahogany.
Elena stood alone near the terrace archway, her fingers smoothing down the lace hem of her white cocktail dress.
Elena: Julian, where are my parents? You told me the bus brought them from the hotel twenty minutes ago.
Julian: They’re having a quiet drink down in the courtyard lounge, Elena. Mother wanted us to take care of a small estate detail first.
Elena: The rehearsal dinner starts in fifteen minutes. What detail could possibly matter right now?
Victoria Sterling lowered her crystal glass onto the silver tray with a sharp, metallic ring.
Victoria: Sit down, Elena. In this family, we do not finalize marriages while major questions remain unanswered.
Elena: I already signed the standard prenuptial agreement at your family office two months ago.
Victoria: That was before your private clinic visits came to my personal attention yesterday morning.
Victoria pushed a heavy leather binder across the damask linen until it rested against Elena’s water glass.
Elena: You hired someone to spy on my private doctor visits?
Julian: Nobody was spying on you, honey. The family foundation physician was just asked to verify your lab work.
Elena: You had my medical charts pulled without my permission?
Julian: You're carrying a Sterling child, Elena! That means the family trust fund is directly involved!
Elena: It’s our baby, Julian. Not a board resolution.
Victoria: Any heir carrying the Sterling bloodline is an asset of our primary family estate. Open the document to page twelve.
Elena lifted the cold leather cover, her eyes running down the dense legal paragraphs until her hands began to shake.
Elena: A full parental rights waiver? You want me to give up sole legal and physical custody?
Victoria: If a separation ever occurs, you receive ten million dollars in cash, but the heir remains exclusively with us. Sign it, or tomorrow’s wedding does not happen.
Elena stared at her fiancé, waiting for him to object, but Julian only turned his face toward the window as she slowly reached inside her handbag.