PART 2: THE FAMILY ARRIVES
PART 2: THE FAMILY ARRIVES
The door burst open.
Not dramatically.
Officially.
Mrs. Bennett entered first.
Perfect posture.
Sharp eyes.
A woman who had built a reputation on control.
Behind her—Maverick’s father.
Then his sister.
Then two attorneys.
Then someone I didn’t recognize at first.
Until I saw the badge.
Legal counsel.
Corporate.
Penelope pulled the sheet tighter around herself.
“This is humiliating,” she whispered.
Mrs. Bennett didn’t even look at her.
Her eyes went straight to me.
Then to the bed.
Then to her son.
And in that exact order—
everything changed.
“Maverick,” she said quietly.
He tried to speak.
“Mother, I can explain—”
She raised one hand.
Silence.
Not anger.
Worse.
Disappointment.
Behind her, the attorney opened a folder.
But she didn’t look at it yet.
She looked at me.
“My dear,” she said carefully, “what exactly happened here?”
I didn’t answer immediately.
I simply turned slightly.
So she could see everything.
The suit jacket.
The dress.
The bed.
The truth.
And I said only one sentence:
“I think your son forgot he was getting married today.”
The room went still.
The door burst open.
Not dramatically.
Officially.
Mrs. Bennett entered first.
Perfect posture.
Sharp eyes.
A woman who had built a reputation on control.
Behind her—Maverick’s father.
Then his sister.
Then two attorneys.
Then someone I didn’t recognize at first.
Until I saw the badge.
Legal counsel.
Corporate.
Penelope pulled the sheet tighter around herself.
“This is humiliating,” she whispered.
Mrs. Bennett didn’t even look at her.
Her eyes went straight to me.
Then to the bed.
Then to her son.
And in that exact order—
everything changed.
“Maverick,” she said quietly.
He tried to speak.
“Mother, I can explain—”
She raised one hand.
Silence.
Not anger.
Worse.
Disappointment.
Behind her, the attorney opened a folder.
But she didn’t look at it yet.
She looked at me.
“My dear,” she said carefully, “what exactly happened here?”
I didn’t answer immediately.
I simply turned slightly.
So she could see everything.
The suit jacket.
The dress.
The bed.
The truth.
And I said only one sentence:
May you like
“I think your son forgot he was getting married today.”
The room went still.
