up. The next day

accusation. "She said you're probably just bitter and poor. But you have to

ur mother's new friends? The ones who think I'm a dea

s about family!" she ins

through their manipulations for years. This wasn't about family. It was about appearanc

d suddenly. "I

rly stunned that he had agreed so easily. "Oh. Good.

hin smile playing on his lips

ho had gathered at his modest home f

legal mind likely running through all the potent

e trying to trap." He looked at his friends. "She said it herself. It's a family event. And I

glint in her eye. "Wha

y the show," Liam s

f new money and desperation. Liam pulled up not in a fancy car, but in his reliable, ten-year-old tru

trance, two large security

sir?" one of

of the bride,"

cked it again. "Your name's not on

. Liam didn't argue. He didn't raise his voice.

b for a wedding, and it seems my name got left off the list. The... uh... Miller-Patterso

at him with uncertainty. Less than a minute later, the c

with the list from the wedding planner. Please, come

guards, leaving them to deal with their frantic boss.

ings with a detached interest. Soon, the groom, Mark, sauntered over. He had gott

you could make it. I was worried you wouldn't be able to aff

s expression unreadable. "M

is insults. Liam's complete lack of reaction unnerved him. "Yeah, well, some of

drifting away from Mark toward the fro

hanked her "true father," Mark, for showing her what a real man and a successful provider looked like. She never once looked in Liam's direction. The gu

ht, their clothes a little too flashy. He listened to their conversations with the people around them. They talked loudly about their

Liam recognized the scent of desperation. It was far stronger than the overpriced flowers that decorated th