Chapter 4
Koralie folded the deed transfer and slipped it securely into the inner pocket of her white dress, her expression hardening into a mask of pure determination. She looked at Chloe, assessing the younger woman’s genuine distress. For years, Koralie had viewed Chloe as an extension of Eleanor—spoiled, compliant, and complicit in the social engineering of their blended household. But standing here in the dark study, surrounded by her family's betrayal, Koralie recognized a kindred spirit trapped beneath the weight of maternal tyranny.
"Why are you telling me this, Chloe?" Koralie asked, her tone measured and cautious. "You could easily run back to your mother and use this to secure your position."
Chloe crossed her arms defensively, hugging herself against the chill of the room. "Because I’m tired, Koralie. I’m tired of wearing gold dresses I hate, attending parties I despise, and smiling for people who only care about what’s in our bank accounts. Eleanor doesn't love my father—she loves his status. And she certainly doesn't care about you or me. We’re just chess pieces to her."
Koralie stepped closer, lowering her voice so it wouldn't carry through the heavy wood of the door. "If we’re going to stop her, we can't just throw a tantrum. A scene in the dining room gives them the upper hand. They’ll paint me as unstable, emotional, and unfit to manage the estate or the wedding."
"So what do you propose?" Chloe asked, a flicker of nervous hope in her eyes. "Eleanor has the caterers, the security staff, and the wedding coordinator completely under her thumb. Even your fiancé, Julian, is terrified of crossing her."
Hearing Julian’s name made Koralie’s stomach tighten. Julian was a good man, steady and reliable in his corporate law practice, but he possessed a fatal flaw: he hated conflict. He believed that appeasing Eleanor was the easiest path to a peaceful wedding day. Koralie realized with sudden clarity that Julian had likely known about the seating arrangement changes hours before she did and had chosen to stay silent to keep the peace.
"Julian needs to wake up," Koralie said firmly. "And we are going to help him do it. But first, we need to secure the guest list revisions before tomorrow morning. Where does Eleanor keep the master binder?"
"In her dressing room, inside the locked floor safe behind the vanity mirror," Chloe replied without hesitation. "She keeps the physical key on a chain around her neck, but the digital backup is on her tablet, synced to the home network."
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Koralie nodded, a plan forming in her mind. It was risky, requiring precision, timing, and absolute discretion. But desperation bred courage. "Go back to the dining room, Chloe. Act normal. Make sure Richard and Eleanor think I've gone upstairs to my room to cry. Meanwhile, I'm going to pay a visit to the master suite."
Chloe hesitated for a fraction of a second, then nodded firmly. "Be careful, Koralie. Eleanor plays dirty, and she has nothing to lose."
