Chapter 9: The Night She Disappeared

At eleven that night, Grant still hadn’t come back.

I sat alone in the hotel room and read through the revised wedding schedule again. My name only appeared under Bride’s Entrance and Exchange of Vows.

Sloane, meanwhile, was woven through the entire event—speeches, a tribute segment, the favor presentation. Even the band’s setlist had been adjusted to accommodate her emotions.

Whose wedding was this supposed to be?

At one in the morning, the door lock finally clicked.

Grant walked in, smelling faintly of sea wind and salt. When he saw me still sitting there, impatience flashed across his face.

“Why are you still awake?”

“The quilt.”

“It’s been cut.” He loosened his tie. “Sloane wants to see the gift bags at the rehearsal tomorrow.”

“Get it back. Now.”

Grant stared at me, the last of his patience draining away.

“Mara, what more do you want? The wedding, the name, the house—I’ve given you all of it. Sloane just needs a little support.”

Then he added coldly, “You can’t have everything.”

I froze.

To him, wanting my mother’s quilt back was greed.

Then his phone rang.

Grant answered, and Eli’s voice came through, sharp with urgency.

“Grant, something’s wrong. Sloane’s gone. She left a note saying it’s all her fault and she only causes trouble for everyone.”

I went rigid.

We rushed to Sloane’s room.

The door was unlocked. A note lay on the bed.

All I ever do is cause trouble. Maybe everyone would be better off if I disappeared.

Grant and Eli started calling frantically, sending people to search the beach and the cliffside park.

I looked at them.

“She’s blowing this up to force me to give up the quilt. Do you really think this is worth it?”

Grant whipped around.

“She could die! How can you be so cold?”

“Then call the police.”

The room fell silent.

Grant froze, phone in hand. Eli stopped dialing.

They would rather send everyone out into the night to search the cliffs than let the police hear about a Mercer family scandal.