Chapter 9 - Paige Tries To Rewrite The Wedding
Paige’s version spread quickly.
According to her, she had been drunk.
Then she had been provoked.
Then the cake damage was accidental.
Then I had assaulted her.
Then I had publicly accused her of sleeping with Grant because I was jealous of her.
Five versions in four days.
Nathan watched the story mutate through relatives.
“You want me to send people the video?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because anyone who needs video to believe she destroyed a cake in front of eighty witnesses isn’t my problem.”
That answer surprised even me.
Three years earlier, I would have built a case for every relative.
Screenshots.
Timelines.
Proof.
I no longer wanted to audition for belief.
But Paige made one mistake.
She contacted the wedding venue and demanded footage, apparently claiming she might pursue Erin for “unprovoked assault.”
The venue directed everything to their insurer and preserved recordings.
Angela advised me not to engage publicly.
Good.
I didn’t want public revenge.
I wanted boundaries.
Paige was removed from Molly’s school pickup authorization.
Her access to our shared family photo account was revoked.
I told Mom and Dad there would be no visits involving Molly if Paige was present.
No secret reunions.
No “accidental” dinners.
Dad resisted.
“She’s your sister.”
“And Molly is my daughter.”
That ended it.
Then Angela called.
“I found something in the old archive.”
“What?”
“A thread you never opened.”
My stomach tightened.
“Between Paige and Grant?”
“Yes.”
“How old?”
“Before the affair.”
I sat down.
“What does it say?”
Angela paused.
“It looks like Paige was doing more than telling Grant you were unhappy.”
Nathan sat beside me.
I put the phone on speaker.
Angela continued.
“She was telling you things too.”
I frowned.
“What things?”
“Messages from Paige to you describing conversations she claimed she had with Grant.”
I remembered.
Paige warning me that Grant felt trapped.
Paige saying Grant was embarrassed by my career.
Paige suggesting he had called me controlling.
At the time I thought she was helping.
Angela said:
“Erin, several of those claims directly contradict what Grant was telling Paige privately.”
My hands went cold.
That was the moment the old affair changed shape.
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Paige had not simply stepped into a marriage that was already breaking.
She had been standing between us, pushing from both sides.
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