“No, sir, it is not,” the chief stated loudly, his voice carrying over the crowd. “I hold here a verified, notarized deed and a trespassing injunction filed by Apex Holdings Corporation. They are the legal, sole owners of this property as of 9:00 AM this morning. The previous owner, Sierra Vance, confirmed you have no lease and no tenant rights. You, and everyone in this backyard, are currently trespassing on private corporate property.”
Dalton staggered backward as if he had been shot. “No… no, she can’t do this! My stuff is in there! Our wedding gifts are in the foyer! My clothes, my computers!”
“You may contact the legal department of Apex Holdings on Monday morning during regular business hours to arrange a supervised retrieval of your personal effects,” the chief replied coldly, devoid of any sympathy for the fraudster. “But right now, you must vacate the premises. All two hundred of you. The caterers have already been escorted out the front.”
The humiliation was absolute and total.
Nicole’s parents marched over, their faces masks of pure, aristocratic fury. Nicole’s father grabbed his daughter by the arm, hauling her to her feet.
“A fraud,” the older man spat, looking at Dalton with unvarnished disgust. “You sat in my study, drank my scotch, and told me you were a self-made only child. It turns out you are nothing but a pathetic squatter leeching off the sister you tried to hide from us. You sicken me.”
“Nicole, please!” Dalton begged, reaching out for his new bride.
Nicole didn’t even look at him. She yanked her arm away, hitched up her heavy designer wedding dress, and practically ran toward the side gate, fleeing the scene of her ruined life.
Amidst that deafening, humiliating chaos, my phone buzzed on the coffee table of my city apartment.
I looked at the caller ID. It was Dalton.
I took a slow sip of my champagne, savoring the crisp, dry taste, and hit accept.
“SIERRA! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?!”
