“Just put it on your card, Mara,” he whispered, squeezing my arm. “I will transfer the funds back to you next week.”

I did. I paid the 45,000 dollars for my own engagement ring. He never repaid me.

We started planning the wedding immediately. Adrian insisted on a massive affair. It had to be at Rosewood Manor, the most exclusive estate in West Michigan. It had to be catered by a Michelin-starred chef from Chicago. It had to be a social event.

“It is for the business, Mara,” he would tell me. “We need to show the investors we are thriving.”

Because my father was a close friend of the owner of Rosewood Manor, we got the venue booked. I paid the 50,000 dollar deposit. I paid the florists. I paid the caterers. Every single contract was under my name, backed by my personal bank account.

Adrian did not contribute a single dollar, but he took complete control of the spreadsheets. He spent hours color-coding the seating charts and guest lists.

And then came the dinner at the Italian restaurant on Monroe Avenue.

It was a Tuesday evening. The restaurant was warm, smelling of garlic and truffle oil. Outside, a cold Michigan rain was slapping the pavement. Adrian had invited Vivienne and Camille to join us. They had just arrived from Chicago, and Adrian was eager to show off his new prosperity.

The dinner was going well until the main course arrived. The waiter placed a small dish of olives in the center of the table.

“My future husband hates olives,” I told the waiter, smiling as I slid the dish away from Adrian’s plate.

Adrian’s hand froze on his wineglass. The smile disappeared from his face. He turned to me, his eyes cold and hard.

“Don’t call me your future husband.”

The words were quiet, but they cut through the noise of the restaurant.

Vivienne did not look up from her plate. She just sighed softly. “Men need room to breathe, darling.”

Camille smirked, taking a sip of her champagne. “Especially when they’re marrying up.”

I felt the blood drain from my face. My stomach dropped. I looked at Adrian, expecting him to defend me, to tell his sister that I was the one who had saved his company.