e suite was thick with the smel

umped at the poker table, his f

ins, Kevin and Brian, wor

ps in front of

front of Mar

" Kevin announced, his voice dripping wit

eart

nd eighty tho

dowry my parents had given me, a

ty. Mark had insisted on Vegas, said it

ight abo

strode over to me, her f

said, her voice

d. Mark just lost a fo

confused. "What

oney was lost to Kevin and Brian. It' s a family matter, an

od ran

nted m

ts had worked their whole lives for to cover

stared at the empty green felt of the

s everything we have to sta

s in debt to his own family?" she shot back. "They' l

ars, the man I loved, begging him with

sture of defeat. "She' s right, Sarah. I' m

s greedy eyes, Mark' s weak submission. It felt like a trap closing in. My hand

mething stra

e of text shimmered in the air right in front of

ad. I thought the stress

text was still the

hey were exchanging quick, triumphant glances, their bodies vibrating with poorl

er comment

xpression one of righteous demand, but her eyes were fixed on my

instantly, replaced by a c

t a random,

s a per

planned scam to

at one, awful moment of realization. The man I was about to marry was not my partne

behind it, a cold, hard anger began to rise. They thought I was a fool. They though

were

s now perfectly steady. I took a deep

" I

hrough the tension. E

narrowed. "Wha

my voice even and cold.

nd Mark' s chair. I placed my ha

, Mark,"

with confusion and a flicker of fe

im gently but firmly out of the chair. I sat

vin and Brian. Their smirks had

I announced to the room. "

, uncertain sound. "Wit

d pulled out my checkbook. Then I pulled out the keys to my brand-new

l on the table w

heckbook. "These are the keys to a car worth sixty thousand. And this," I picked up

mall crowd of family and friends who

s face w

m Mark," I said, my eyes locked on Kevin. "And leaves plenty more to play

er. The hurt was still there, a raw wound in my chest, but

choing in the silent room.