He waited outside for a long time, hearing nothing but the rush of water. A prickle of unease made him reach for the door handle, but then Vivienne Blake's call came through.
"Jasper, you promised to come help me try on wedding dresses today. When are you getting here?"
Jasper glanced one more time at the sealed bathroom door, then lowered his voice. "I know, sweetheart. On my way."
He left in a hurry.
Hilda slid down the door until she was sitting on the cold tile floor, her back pressed against it. Only after his footsteps faded to nothing did the last thread holding her together snap, and a wail tore from her throat.
Grandma was lying in a hospital bed, still asking about the wedding. Hilda's jaw trembled the entire time she lied.
Over and over she said, I'm fine. Jasper's wonderful. Everything's fine.
But Grandma didn't believe her. Fighting through her illness, she went to Jasper's company behind Hilda's back and ran into Vivienne Blake at the front desk.
"This is Fairmont Group, ma'am. Are you confused? Why would your granddaughter's husband be here?"
Grandma thought the young woman looked kind. With shaking hands, she dug out a photo of Hilda and Jasper together and held it out to Vivienne, hoping she might help.
Vivienne took the photo and smiled sweetly.
"I think you've made a mistake. The man in this picture is my fiancé."
She held the photo up high for everyone in the lobby to see. "Take a look, everyone. That's my fiancé, isn't it? I have no idea who the woman next to him is. Ma'am, are you sure you have the right person?"
A crushing pain seized Grandma's chest. She kept repeating that it wasn't possible.
She shuffled forward and clutched Vivienne's hand. "Young lady, please don't say such things. You must have it wrong. How can you be the one marrying him?"
"Who else would it be?"
Vivienne arched one perfect brow, tossed the photo to the floor, and let out a derisive laugh. "Surely you don't think your homewrecking granddaughter is the one marrying into the Fairmont family?"
Vivienne recoiled, disgust written across her face as she shook off Grandma Nora's hand. She pulled out a wet wipe and scrubbed each finger like she was removing contamination.
Before marrying Jasper, Vivienne had dug up everything there was to know about the people around him. She knew all about Hilda.
A silent sneer curled behind her lips.