“I’m so sorry, ma’am.”
I smiled weakly.
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
After she left, Adrian closed the door.
For a moment, he looked deeply uncomfortable.
“Mrs. Porter, I wish I’d intervened earlier.”
I shook my head.
“You couldn’t have known she’d do that.”
He hesitated.
“Actually, there’s something we need to discuss.”
I looked up.
He placed his folder on the table.
“Do you remember our conversation this afternoon?”
Of course I remembered.
I’d approached him shortly before the reception began.
The ceremony seating had been embarrassing enough.
But when Maya quietly informed me that the mother-son dance had been removed, I’d asked Adrian whether the wedding schedule had changed.
He’d shown me the revised event timeline.
Beside the mother-son dance, someone had written:
*Removed at groom’s request.*
That had hurt.
But another line caught my attention.
Near the cake-cutting ceremony was a note:
*Bride’s special surprise involving groom’s mother. Photography team to capture reaction.*
I’d asked what it meant.
Adrian said the planning team had received the instruction from Cassandra.
Maya had questioned whether I’d agreed to participate.
According to the notes, Cassandra had assured her that everyone involved knew about the surprise.
I told Adrian I knew nothing about it.
His expression had changed then.
