Victoria gave a short laugh.
“A ring. An expensive mistake.”
Across the room, someone quietly lowered a phone. A waiter stood motionless beside a table of untouched wedding cake.
Julian looked between the two women.
“Elena?”
She kept her eyes on his mother.
“There was something inside the platinum band.”
Victoria’s expression barely changed.
But she set down her glass.
Elena noticed.
So did Julian.
“A diamond that size,” Victoria said, “doesn’t need a story to make it valuable.”
“I wasn’t talking about the diamond.”
The room seemed to grow smaller around them.
Elena spoke softly enough that the closest guests leaned forward.
“Your private vault. In Switzerland.”
Victoria’s lips parted.
For the first time that evening, she had no immediate reply.
Julian stared at his mother.
“What vault?”
Victoria ignored him.
Her gaze stayed fixed on Elena’s bare finger.
“How do you know about that?”
Elena checked the clock again.
Somewhere beyond the ballroom, a security radio crackled.
Victoria turned toward the sound, then stopped when Elena said her name.
“You should ask yourself something before you call anyone.”
Her voice was steady now.
Victoria waited.
“If that ring was only jewelry, why are you suddenly afraid of who might be outside your gates?”
