Vanessa was testing her power in public, shoving me out of sight to see whether I’d fight it.

If I argued with the manager in front of the other brides, Vanessa would call Ethan the second she could to complain about how I’d acted.

She was setting a trap, and going into the back room was the only way not to trip it.

I picked up the garment bag.

I didn’t want to make a loud scene.

The back room was tiny, with no windows and one folding chair.

Racks of sample dresses in plastic crowded the walls.