Chapter 7 — The Check-In Was Maya’s Mistake
Richard looked toward Maya.
“We still need to discuss the guest register.”
Maya nodded.
She knew.
“I shouldn’t have used Dad’s name.”
“Correct.”
“And Sophie shouldn’t have restored his invitation.”
“Also correct.”
Maya looked toward Eleanor.
“I just wanted Grandma to have the ring tonight.”
Richard’s voice softened slightly.
“That explains why you wanted inside.”
Then:
“It doesn’t give you permission to change event records.”
Maya nodded.
Thomas looked toward her.
“Why didn’t you just call me?”
Maya stared at him.
“Seriously?”
Thomas stopped.
“Uncle Thomas, Dad and I both knew exactly what you’d say.”
Eleanor immediately interrupted.
“No.”
Maya looked toward her.
Eleanor shook her head.
“Do not start that.”
“What?”
“You did not know what Thomas would say because you didn’t ask him.”
Maya went quiet.
Eleanor continued.
“That is exactly how this entire mess started.”
Thomas assumed Lucas took the ring.
Lucas assumed Thomas would never listen.
Maya assumed Thomas would prevent the ring from reaching Eleanor.
Sophie assumed restoring an invitation was harmless because the honored guest wanted Lucas there.
Everyone kept acting on conversations they had only imagined.
Emily looked toward Richard.
“So what happens now?”
Richard sighed.
The electronic guest record would be corrected.
Lucas had not attended.
The check-in would be reassigned to Maya.
Sophie would receive a formal warning for using an authorization code outside her role.
Not because Richard wanted someone punished dramatically.
Because guest-list security existed for a reason.
Maya agreed to provide her actual identification and register properly.
“Can she stay?” Eleanor asked.
Richard looked toward the guest of honor.
“If she has your invitation.”
Eleanor smiled.
“She does now.”
Then Eleanor looked toward Thomas.
“And so does Lucas.”
Thomas’s expression changed.
“Mom.”
“My event.”
“It’s technically the foundation’s event.”
Eleanor raised an eyebrow.
“Do you want to test how popular that argument will be tonight?”
Thomas sighed.
“No.”