Chapter 2

“I want the transfer device checked.”

I stared at the officer. My voice came out hoarse, but I didn't back down.

“That money absolutely was not sent from the phone I use now.”

The officer nodded and waved the tech over.

A few minutes later, the tech looked up.

“The transfer wasn't sent from the phone she's currently using.”

“The backend log shows the payment device was an older model, number ending in 7421.”

He checked the data once more.

“The account, the password, and the device authentication all match Miss Fox's identity.”

Ending in 7421.

I looked at Cora, the key on my wrist digging into my skin until it hurt.

Half a year ago she'd said she wanted to sort through photos from college up to now, gather some material for the wedding, and she'd borrowed that old phone off me.

She never gave it back.

“Cora, that phone……”

I'd barely started when the big screen flickered twice.

A third anonymous line drifted up, slow:

【11:42, the photographer will destroy the real phone.】

The clock on the wall read 11:32.

A full ten minutes early.

I whipped around to Toby. He'd seen it too, and the color drained out of his face as his hand crept toward his pants pocket.

“Officer, I……I need the restroom.”

“No.”

I stepped sideways and blocked his path.

“The wall says you're going to destroy a phone. You stand right here. You don't go anywhere.”

Lucretia Pruitt rushed over and shoved me.

“Who do you think you are, stopping him from leaving?”

“Guilty conscience, and still slinging mud at everyone else. Have you no shame?”

Ezra moved in too, arm half-raised in front of me.

“Cornelia, just admit you acted on impulse and I won't press it.”

“We were classmates once. I don't want this to get ugly.”

Very generous.

It sounded that way, at least.

But everyone in the room knew he'd already pinned the crime on me and was only waiting for me to bow my head and take it.

“Drop the nice-guy act, Ezra.”

“I didn't do it. Why would I confess?”

The minutes crawled forward.

11:40.

Toby suddenly clutched his stomach and doubled over, sucking in sharp breaths.

“Oh, my stomach……I really can't hold it.”

“I have to hit the restroom, I can't wait!”

Still moaning, he lurched crookedly toward the side door of the banquet hall.

A big drink barrel stood by that door, packed with ice and champagne, the ice water nearly brimming over the rim.

As he passed it, Toby yanked something black out of his pocket, twisted his wrist, and made to fling it in.

“Stop him!”

I screamed until my throat burned.

The two officers were fast. One rushed him, wrenched his arm back, and pinned him to the floor; the other snatched the thing out of his hand.

An old phone with a shattered screen.

Ending in 7421.

Toby's cheek was pressed to the carpet, and he was still yelling.

“That's it!”

“Cornelia used it to send me the money, then just now slipped it to me and told me to destroy it!”

The officer opened the phone. No passcode. One swipe and he was in.

“Miss Fox, there's a whole trail of chat records between you and Toby on here.”

He scrolled for a long moment, his brow drawing tighter and tighter.

“Photos of your ID too, and several call recordings.”

“By the timestamps, you started planning this half a month ago.”

I stared at the cracked screen, my throat plugged like it was stuffed with cotton.

I'd lent that phone to Cora half a year ago. How could it have still been in my hands half a month back?

Every time, the comment wall called the next move exactly.

It led me to the necklace first, then set the old phone right in front of me, looking like it was helping me. But every single thing it turned up ended up as evidence to nail me shut.

Someone was leading me by the hand.

One step at a time, straight toward a pit dug for me long ago.

“Cornelia, what have you got to say now?”

Cora's voice climbed thin and shrill.

“You just can't stand to see me happy. You're vicious!”

People around us jumped right in.

“Pretty face, but what a rotten heart.”

“People like that should be locked up. It's terrifying.”

The officer took out handcuffs and came toward me.

“Miss Fox, please come with us to assist with the investigation.”

The other officer hauled Toby up off the floor.

As he passed me, he suddenly dropped his voice, his lips barely moving twice.

“I didn't steal the necklace.”

“The bride handed it to me herself.”

My head snapped around.

“Say that again!”

Toby's voice shot up at once, and he shrank behind the officer, face full of terror.

“I didn't say anything!”

“Miss Fox, don't you threaten me!”

The big screen lit up again.

A fourth line sat against the black, as if it had already reckoned I'd open my mouth:

【11:55, the bridesmaid will accuse the bride in front of everyone.】

【But no one will believe her.】

I stared at the two lines, my nails biting slowly into my palm.

“Cora, you really think this is enough to destroy me?”