The woman blinked.
Leonardo laughed lightly.
“Baby, this is not what it looks like.”
Victor followed.
Leonardo’s smile weakened.
Elena did not raise her voice.
“I said take off my earrings.”
The woman slowly reached up and removed them.
“And the bracelet.”
“Elena,” Leonardo said, tone sharpening, “don’t embarrass yourself.”
Elena looked at him.
“You sent your wife away to a prepaid spa reservation you booked six weeks before the wedding so your ex-girlfriend could come to our honeymoon villa and wear jewelry from my safe. I promise, Leonardo, I am not the embarrassment in this room.”
The woman’s face went pale.
“Six weeks?” she whispered.
Leonardo shot her a look.
“Vanessa, don’t.”
Elena smiled faintly.
Vanessa.
So the red dress had a name.
Vanessa stood slowly, clutching the earrings and bracelet in her hand.
“You told me she knew the marriage was fake.”
Elena’s blood went cold.
Mia muttered, “Oh, this is getting better.”
Leonardo’s face hardened.
“Vanessa, shut up.”
Victor stepped forward.
“I advise everyone in this room to be very careful with the next sentence.”
Vanessa looked at Victor, then at Elena.
“He said the marriage was for optics,” Vanessa blurted. “He said your father was investing in his company and that you two had an arrangement. He said you were clingy but understood.”
Elena stared at Leonardo.
“What investment?”
Leonardo set his glass down.
“This is ridiculous.”
Victor opened his folder.
“Mr. Pierce, before we continue, you should know that Mrs. Pierce has already requested preservation of resort security records, villa access logs, and communications related to the spa booking. She is also reporting unauthorized access to her personal jewelry.”
Leonardo’s mask slipped.
“Unauthorized? I’m her husband.”
Elena’s voice was ice.
“You are not the owner of my diamonds.”
Vanessa placed the jewelry on the coffee table.
“I didn’t steal anything.”
Elena turned to her.
“You wore them.”
“He gave them to me.”
“And you believed a bride packed diamonds so her husband could dress his ex during their honeymoon?”
Vanessa looked down.
That answer was enough.
Leonardo walked toward Elena.
“We need to talk privately.”
Victor stepped between them.
“No.”
Leonardo’s eyes flashed.
“Who the hell are you?”
“Her attorney.”
“You don’t have an attorney on your honeymoon,” Leonardo snapped.
Elena looked around the villa.
“And yet here we are.”
Mia almost smiled.
Vanessa grabbed her purse and moved toward the door.
