For the last six months,” she said, “every major decision about this wedding came through your wife.
Not through both of you.
Through her.
And her instructions were always very clear.”
She turned a page and began, in a flat and careful voice, to read.
“‘Reduce costs for selected guests without informing them.'”
She turned a page. “‘
Move immediate family members to lesser seating if premium clients arrive.'”
Another page. “‘
Charge additional fees wherever possible, but keep the charges off the master budget Ryan sees.'”
Ryan’s face did something complicated. ”
I never approved any of that,” he said. ”
Melissa — I never saw any of that.”
“I know,” Melissa said quietly. ”
That was the point.”
Chapter 11 — The Quiet Alterations
She handed him a stack of printed pages, and I watched Ryan read them, watched the last of his confusion burn away and leave something scorched behind it.
“Whenever you and I spoke,” Melissa said, “you were generous.