Chapter 7
The answer appeared inside renovation plans.
Nolan’s company, Vale Heritage Construction, had been preparing a major post-wedding project at the estate.
Galen knew about the proposal.
He did not know how far it had progressed.
The plan converted the east family wing into a private suite for Galen and Ainsley.
Sofia’s former music room would become Ainsley’s dressing room.
Eira’s bedroom would move downstairs near the nanny suite.
The small memorial garden Sofia designed would be partly removed to make room for a covered terrace.
Galen stared at the drawings.
“I never approved this.”
The architect looked uncomfortable.
“Nolan said you had approved the concept.”
“Did you speak to me?”
“No.”
“Then I didn’t approve it.”
There were no forged signatures.
No secret ownership transfer.
Just something simpler.
Nolan had used Galen’s reputation to push a project forward before Galen formally decided.
Then Teresa found the second layer.
Ainsley had repeatedly told relatives that Eira became “emotionally dysregulated” whenever Sofia’s rooms or possessions were nearby.
If that story became accepted, moving Eira and clearing the east wing could be described as helping the child.
The architecture and the behavior logs fit together too neatly.
Rebecca remained cautious.
“That shows motive.”
“Not intent.”
“Exactly.”
They still needed to prove Ainsley and Nolan had deliberately triggered Eira’s reactions rather than simply misunderstanding them.
Chelsea, the wedding planner, supplied another detail.
Three weeks earlier, Ainsley ordered Eira’s flower-girl dress altered.
The original design included a narrow piece of lace cut from Sofia’s wedding veil.
Galen had approved it months earlier.
Ainsley had ordered it removed.
When the seamstress refused without Galen’s permission, Ainsley canceled the alteration.
That explained the tailoring shears at the rehearsal.
Ainsley had not suddenly lost control over a sash.
She had arrived already angry about a symbol of Sofia being carried into the ceremony.
Galen looked at the architectural plans again.
A room.
A garden.
A dress.
A locket.
Different objects.
Same direction.
May you like
Ainsley was not merely trying to marry Galen.
She was trying to decide what version of his family would be allowed to survive the marriage.
