Cora Hayes stormed into the penthouse, her phone clutched tightly in her hand. She'd just spent the last hour arguing with her brothers over text, and she was not in the mood for more drama.
"Jace!" she called, her voice sharp.
Jace appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, his expression wary. "What's wrong?"
"What's wrong?" Cora repeated, holding up her phone. "What's wrong is that my brothers hired a private investigator to dig into your past!"
Jace blinked, caught off guard. "A what?"
"A PI!" Cora said, throwing her hands up. "His name's Frank Mulligan, and he's been following you around, taking blurry photos, and digging through your trash!"
Jace frowned, his mind racing. "Why would they do that?"
"Because they're idiots," Cora said, her tone exasperated. "They think you're hiding something. And now Frank thinks you're planning a secret second wedding!"
Jace groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "This is a disaster."
"You think?" Cora said, pacing the room. "What are we going to do?"
Before Jace could respond, his phone buzzed. It was a text from Ethan: "Your dad's party is tomorrow. Don't forget."
Jace's stomach dropped. "Oh no."
"What?" Cora asked, her tone sharp.
Jace hesitated, then sighed. "My dad's throwing a party. For us. To celebrate our marriage."
Cora stared at him, her eyes wide. "A party? When?"
"Tomorrow," Jace said, his tone grim.
Meanwhile, Frank Mulligan was putting the finishing touches on his "master plan." He'd decided to stake out Jace's office one last time, convinced that he was on the verge of cracking the case wide open.
"Okay, Frank," he muttered to himself, adjusting the binoculars. "This is it. The big break."
But Frank's idea of a stakeout was less "James Bond" and more "Homer Simpson." He'd parked his beat-up sedan in the middle of the parking lot, donned a trench coat and fedora, and was now sitting in the driver's seat with a bag of donuts and a thermos of coffee.
"Just stay cool," Frank said, taking a sip of coffee. "Stay professional."
But staying cool was easier said than done. Frank's attempts at stealth were comically inept. He accidentally honked the horn when he dropped his donut, spilled coffee all over his lap, and mistook a delivery guy for Jace.
"That's him!" Frank said, snapping a blurry photo of the delivery guy. "Gotcha!"
The next evening, Cora and Jace arrived at Victor Hart's mansion, both of them tense and on edge.
Cora was wearing a simple but elegant dress, her hair styled in loose waves, and a pair of heels that were already killing her feet.
The door opened to reveal Victor Hart, his expression beaming.
"Jace! Cora!" Victor said, pulling them both into a hug. "Welcome to your party!"
Cora forced a smile, though her mind was racing. "Thank you, Victor. This is… unexpected."
Victor laughed, his tone jovial. "Nonsense! You're family now. We have to celebrate!"
As they walked into the dining room, Cora's heart sank. The room was filled with people—Jace's colleagues, his parents' friends, and, to her horror, her brothers.
"What are they doing here?" Cora whispered to Jace, her tone sharp.
"I don't know," Jace said, his expression grim.
Before they could say anything else, Victor clinked a glass, silencing the room.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Victor said, his tone dramatic. "I'd like to propose a toast. To my son, Jace, and his beautiful wife, Cora. May your marriage be as strong and enduring as your love for each other!"
The room erupted in applause, and Cora felt a flicker of panic.
As the party wore on, Cora found herself cornered by her brothers.
"Cora," Daniel said, his tone serious. "We need to talk."
"Not now," Cora said, her tone sharp.
"Yes, now," Michael said, crossing his arms. "We know Jace is hiding something."
Cora groaned and buried her face in her hands. "Not this again."
Before she could respond, Frank Mulligan burst into the room, his trench coat flapping dramatically.
"I've got him!" Frank shouted, holding up a folder. "I've got the evidence!"
The room fell silent as everyone turned to stare at Frank.
"Who the hell is that?" Victor asked, his tone incredulous.
"I'm Frank Mulligan, private investigator," Frank said, his tone dramatic. "And I've uncovered the truth about Jace Hart!"
Cora's stomach dropped, and she turned to Jace, her eyes wide.
"What's he talking about?" Cora whispered.
"I have no idea," Jace said.
Frank opened the folder and pulled out a stack of blurry photos and cryptic notes. "Jace Hart is planning a secret second wedding! And I have the proof!"
The room erupted in gasps, and Cora felt a flicker of panic.
"This is ridiculous," Jace said, his tone firm. "I'm not planning a second wedding."
"Then explain this!" Frank said, holding up the Vegas chapel receipt.
Cora's eyes widened, and she turned to Jace, her expression unreadable.
And then, without warning, Cora kissed him.
The kiss was fierce, passionate, and full of all the frustration and tension that had been building between them. It was messy and unplanned, and it left everyone in the room stunned.