Chapter 5 - Mother of the Groom
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That evening, Lucinda Mercer invited me to her sprawling suburban estate to "finalize the floral arrangements" for the wedding. I sat on her velvet sofa, sipping a cup of Earl Grey tea, trying not to look at her as a criminal mastermind.
Lucinda was a beautiful, severe woman who wore her wealth like a suit of armor.
“I was thinking we should change the table linens to ivory, Mara,” Lucinda said, not looking up from her iPad. “White is a bit stark, don't you think? Evan prefers ivory.”
“I think white is fine, Lucinda. It’s already paid for.”
She stopped scrolling and looked at me over the rim of her reading glasses. Her smile was chillingly condescending.
“Mara, dear, marriage is about compromise,” she purred, walking over to pour me more tea. “My son is taking on a massive burden by marrying into the Quinn family. The least you can do is honor his aesthetic preferences.”
“A massive burden?” I asked, keeping my voice dangerously level.
“Oh, let’s not be naive. Managing your company is exhausting for him. He’s essentially running the empire while you play the grieving daughter. You should be grateful he’s willing to guide you.”
I looked at the diamond cuff still resting on my wrist. I thought of the $2.3 million sitting in her offshore trust. The absolute audacity of this woman made the blood roar in my ears.
“He certainly manages the finances closely,” I noted smoothly.
May you like
Lucinda’s eyes narrowed just a fraction of a millimeter. It was a microscopic tell, but I caught it. She knew.
“Evan protects what is his,” she said softly, sitting back down. “And very soon, everything you have will be his. I suggest you get used to ivory linens, Mara.”
