Clara's POV:

I watched as Audrey, Caspar, and little Noah disappeared into the elevator.

Finley stood beside me, his expression hardening.

"I'm going to speak with the manager and find out exactly wvhat happened.

"

"I'll come with you," I said, falling into step beside him.

We walked across the lobby toward the management offices.

The hotel manager, a thin man with silver-rimmed glasses and impeccable posture, rose immediately when we entered.

"Mr.Blackwood," he said, recognition flashing in his eyes."How may I assist you?"

"There seems to be a problem with the room assignments for my wedding guests," Finley said. "Specifically, Miss Audrey Lane was moved from the Artist's Suite to a standard room without consultation."

The manager's expression shifted subtly-a flicker of discomfort crossing his features before he composed himself.

"Ah, yes. I believe there was a... request for modification to the arrangements."

He adjusted his glasses nervously. "Miss Daisy Cole made the changes yesterday. She indicated it was a family matter."

I watched Finley's expression harden as he spoke to the receptionist.

"*Daisy?* I'd heard so much about her-the darling of the Cole family,perpetually indulged and lavished with attention.

"I didn't authorize-" Finley began, but a voice cut through the air behind us.

"You don't need to authorize everything, Finley. Some decisions are better left to those who understand proper guest hierarchies."

I turned to see Daisy Cole striding into the office.

She dressed in a cream silk blouse and tailored navy pants.

"Daisy," Finley said, his tone warning."Why did you do?"

She smiled placatingly, raising her hands in a calming gesture.

"Don't overreact, Finley. We just had an important guest confirm yesterday,and even Mom said we need to accommodate her properly. It's just a small change to make sure everyone important is taken care of."

I couldn't hold my tongue any longer.

"And why did it have to be *Audrey's* room that got changed?"I challenged.

"She's *my* important guest-my only bridesmaid, in fact. This is my wedding too, and Audrey means mnore to me than any last-minute addition to the guest list."

Daisy gave me a dismissive look, her perfectly manicured hand waving away my concerns as if swatting a fly.

"You don't even know who we're talking about, do you?" she asked, her tone dripping with condescension.

"It's Liora-the renowned, highly sought-after art master in London,whose works are extremely hard to come by."

She turned to Finley as if I wasn't worth further explanation.

"Mom really likes her work, but has never had the chance to meet her in person."

Then her gaze slid back to me, assessing and cold.

"Your friend Audrey should be honored to give up her room for someone of Liora's caliber. It's practically a privilege."

"Audrey is also an incredibly talented artist," I shot back, feeling my cheeks flush with anger.

"Her work has been featured in several respected galleries. Just because you haven't heard of."

Daisy let out a soft, pitying laugh.

"Oh, please. The only reason anyone pays attention to them is because she's clever at networking and leveraging relationships with the right people."

She flicked a glance at me.

"Speaking of which, once you're officially a Cole, you might want to reconsider some of your... associations."

"Daisy!" Finley's voice cut through the tension like a wvhip crack. "That's enough."

His normally gentle eyes had hardened to flint.

"I see our parents have truly spoiled you beyond repair," Finley continued,

his voice tightly controlled.

"You don't get to dictate who Clara spends time with, and you certainly don't get to disrespect our friends."

Daisy's eyes widened in genuine shock.

I realized she'd probably never heard Finley speak to her this way before.

Her expression quickly shifted from surprise to indignation.

"Wow," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "you're not even married yet, and you're already choosing her over your own family?"

She shot me a withering glance, as though I were personally responsible for corrupting her brother.

Finley replied firmly. "Now apologize to Clara for your rudeness."

Daisy's perfectly glossed lips pressed into a thin line.

She looked between Finley and me. Finally, she straightened her shoulders.

"I'm not going to apologize," she said coldly.

Without another word, she turned and stalked out of the office, the sharp click of her heels punctuating her exit.

"Clara, I'm so sorry about that. Daisy has been..." he trailed off, searching for the right words, " She's been spoiled sice childhood."

"It's okay," I said, giving him a reassuring smile.

"Why does your family continue to indulge her?" I asked,genuinely curious.

Finley sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair.

"It's... complicated. There are circumstances that..."

He paused,seeming to make a decision.

"Daisy isn't actually my biological sister."

I blinked in surprise. "She's adopted?"

"Not... exactly." Finley took a deep breath.

"Twenty-six yearsago, my mother gave birth to a baby girl in New York.The day after the birth, while my mother was still recovering,someone took the baby from the hospital nursery. At that time, my mother was almost driven mad."

"Oh my God," I whispered, my free hand rising to cover my mouth.

"The kidnapper demanded a ransom," Finley continued, his voice low and controlled.

"My father paid it-a fortune-and a baby was returned to them. But when they did DNA testing later, they discovered it wasn't their daughter."

I felt my heart constrict. "But the kidnappers..."

"Were killed that night in a police operation gone wrong." Finley's expression was grim.

"So Daisy is..."

"The baby that was returned to them. My father blamed himself for the whole situation. He believes his real daughter probably died that night and that the kidnappers, in desperation, substituted another baby."

Finley's voice grew quieter. "I was twelve when I overheard my father talking with a private investigator about it. My mother still doesn't know-she believes Daisy is her biological child. Everyone has kept the secret to protect her."

I sat in stunned silence, trying to process what he was telling me.

"That's... I don't even know what to say," I finally managed.

Finley sighed and continued speaking.

"My father and Ethan have always spoiled Daisy because they hope that if our real sister somehow survived and was adopted by another family, they'd treat her with the same love and care,"

"Thank you for sharing this with me, Finley. I understand better now."

"I'm not excusing her behavior," he said quickly. "Just... explaining it."

"I know." I squeezed his hand. "I understand why your family has protected this secret, especially for your mother's sake."

Finley's expression softened as he covered my hand with his.

"This doesn't mean you have to tolerate her attitude, Clara. I will always stand by your side."

He leaned back slightly.

"I moved out when I was a child to pursue my art career. We were never particularly close to begin with, and knowing she wasn't actually my biological sister...",

His voice trailed off, a shadow of confusion crossing his face.

I wanted to ask him about giving up his artistic ambitions to return to the family business.

Was there a part of him that mourned that creative path not taken? Did he ever resent the expectations that eventually pulled him back into the Cole family orbit?

But before I could ask the question, my phone burst into life with a shrill ring.

I jumped, fumbling to pull it from my pocket. Audrey's name flashed on the screen.