When an estranged Greenwich daughter discovers her half-sister hijacked her $450,000 historic estate wedding and $12 million trust, she uses an old escrow receipt to repossess the venue and ruin he...
Armed with the official county audit notices and the emergency title freeze, Julian and I headed back to the estate. The contrast was even sharper now, the festive atmosphere a surreal backdrop to our mission. My eyes scanned the arrivals, searching for the person who could unknowingly become my greatest weapon: Genevieve Duprès, the wedding planner.
She was easy to spot. Genevieve, a vision in an impeccably tailored cream suit, was directing a team of florists near the main entrance, her voice a precise, clipped instrument. She waved a hand impatiently at a delivery truck, oblivious to the storm about to break.
I approached her, a cool calm settling over me. “Genevieve, we need to talk.”
She turned, her perfectly made-up face initially registering annoyance, then a flicker of recognition. “Maya? What are you doing here?” Her gaze dropped to the county seal on the documents in my hand, and her expression tightened.
“I’m here to ensure the integrity of this event,” I stated, handing her the official papers. “These are audit notices and an emergency title freeze from the county clerk’s office.”
Genevieve took them, her manicured fingers trembling slightly as she scanned the bold headings. Her eyes widened, flicking between the words “SYSTEMIC FRAUD INQUIRY” and “COMMERCIAL OPERATION SUSPENSION.” The color drained from her face.
“What is this?” she demanded, her voice losing its polished edge. “This is impossible. The Montgomerys assured me everything was in order.”
“Arthur Pendelton, the notary, illegally transferred the venue’s master deed bond. The property is currently under a fraud investigation and cannot host any commercial activity,” Julian explained, stepping forward. His tone was professional, devoid of emotion. “That includes a $450,000 wedding. Your operating permit for this event is now nullified.”
Genevieve’s eyes darted around, as if expecting someone to magically fix this. Her entire reputation, her business, relied on flawless events. Regulatory liability was her worst nightmare. She had a contract with Chloe, but she also had a license to protect.
“Nullified?” she repeated, a high-pitched note entering her voice. “But the guests are arriving! The catering is here! The Belmonts will ruin me!”
“Your personal liability, Genevieve, for operating without proper permits on a frozen asset, would be catastrophic,” I said, keeping my voice steady and firm. “The county has already confirmed the illegality of the deed transfer. If you proceed, you’ll be complicit.”
She swallowed hard, her gaze fixed on the official seal. The thought of losing her business, of being blacklisted in Greenwich high society, clearly terrified her far more than disappointing Chloe.
“I… I have to revoke the event operating permit,” she whispered, her shoulders slumping. “I have no choice.”
She pulled out her phone, her fingers fumbling as she dialed. Two hours before Chloe’s extravagant ceremony, the wedding planner herself was about to pull the plug.
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