Milan #2
I pictured myself leaning in and whispering that Malcolm had begged. That he cried. That he died thinking about the woman he betrayed.
But instead, I just squeezed her hand.
“I’m sorry.”
China collapsed. Her knees hit the carpet, and her wedding dress fanned out around her. She screamed. I had never heard anything like it. I stood over her as everyone rushed forward.
Sierra knelt next to her. Two bridesmaids tried to help her up. China screamed Malcolm’s name, then screamed it again. My chest felt oddly light. I had dreamed of hurting her. I pictured blood, pain, and fear. I never thought grief would be the first wound. It was beautiful.
China sobbed into Sierra’s shoulder. I glanced at the roses Malcolm had sent, then at the broken champagne glass on the carpet. A thin line of champagne crept toward the hem of China’s dress.
For a moment, it looked like blood. I smiled before anyone noticed. The police arrived twelve minutes later. Two officers came in first, then a detective. No one mentioned Warren, which surprised me.
Maybe the hotel hadn’t connected the deaths yet. Either way, the wedding floor turned into chaos.
Guests were told to stay in their rooms. The ballroom was closed for now. Security blocked the elevators, and phones rang nonstop. China sat on the edge of the bed, staring into space. Someone had taken off her veil. Her makeup was ruined, mascara running down her face. I sat next to her.
She hadn’t said a word to me in several minutes. The detective finished speaking with Malcolm’s best man.
Then he approached us.
“Ms. Hart?”
China looked up.
“Yes.”
“I am Detective Ramos.”
She nodded.
“I need to ask you a few questions.”
“Who killed him?”
Ramos hesitated.
“We’re still investigating.”
“How did he die?”
I kept my eyes on him. China repeated her question.
“How did Malcolm die?”
Ramos looked around the room.
“I would rather discuss that privately.”
“No.”
China stood up. Everyone watched.
“You tell me right now.”
The detective lowered his voice.
“He suffered multiple stab wounds.”
China made a noise. Her eyes met mine, not on purpose but out of instinct. I noticed the moment a thought crossed her mind.
Her face changed. I held her gaze. There you are. China looked away quickly.
Ramos continued.
“We believe there was a struggle.”
China swallowed.
“When?”
“Sometime late this morning.”
She glanced at the clock, then back at me. I could tell she was thinking it through. I had been away for almost forty minutes. She realized it.
“Milan,” she whispered.
I tilted my head.
“Yes?”
The detective glanced at both of us. China kept her eyes on me. I saw a question on her face. Another police officer came in and went straight to Ramos, whispering something. Ramos’s face shifted. He looked at me, then at China.
“What?” China asked.
Neither officer replied. Ramos walked off with him. I caught only a few words: sixth floor, same hotel, homicide.
China stood.
“What did he say?”
Nobody answered. She walked toward them.
“Who is Cole?”
She stopped. Her face lost all color. China turned to face me, moving slowly.
“Warren?”
I stayed silent. Her lips parted.
“No.”
The room fell silent. China stared at me. Her grief faded, replaced by something else. She spoke so softly I could barely hear her.
“You did this.”
Everyone in the room looked at me. I frowned.
“What?”
China stepped back.
“You killed them.”
Sierra stood.
“China, what are you talking about?”
China pointed at me, her hand shaking hard.
“She did this.”
I glanced around the room, then looked back at her.
“Your fiancé just died. You’re not thinking clearly.”
“Don’t do that.”
“China.”
“Don’t talk to me like I’m crazy.”
I almost laughed at the irony. Instead, I stood.
“You’re in shock.”
“You were gone.”
The room went quiet. China turned to the detective.
“She left this room this morning.”
Ramos faced me.
“What time?”
I was about to speak, but China answered first.
“Between seven and eight.”
Warren said that. Then China went on.
“And today she disappeared for almost forty minutes before they found Malcolm.”
Sierra glanced at me, her expression shifting. I stayed calm while China stared at me in horror.
“You came here for this.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
“Yes you did.”
She started crying again.
“You came here to kill us.”
Detective Ramos stepped forward.
“Ms. Hart, I need everyone to remain calm.”
China ignored him.
“You hate me.”
I looked at her.
“I told you I didn’t.”
“You lied.”
I nearly smiled. Now she knew what that felt like. China stepped back again.
“I want her out.”
“China.”
“Get her away from me.”
Sierra tried to reach for her, but China pushed her hand away.
“Sierra, don’t touch me.”
Ramos looked at another officer.
“Take Ms. Milan Hart into the hallway.”
For the second time in my life, police came toward me because my sister pointed at me. Suddenly, everything became perfectly clear.
I looked at China. She seemed terrified. I let the officer come closer. Suddenly, every alarm in the hotel went off. The noise was deafening. Red lights flashed above us. Everyone jumped.
The officer turned toward the hallway.
“What the hell?”
An announcement followed.
“Attention. Please evacuate the building immediately. Please proceed to the nearest emergency exit.”
People began shouting. China glanced around in panic. Ramos grabbed his radio. I smiled.
There was one small thing I had forgotten.
I wasn’t sure if I’d need the distraction, but it turned out I did. People filled the hallway, and hotel staff began guiding guests to the stairwells.
The officer next to me glanced away for just a moment. That was all I needed. I blended into the crowd. I didn’t run. I moved with everyone else, down one flight, then another. On the fifth floor, I slipped through the door.
No one noticed. I waited until the stairwell was empty, then climbed back up to the eighth floor. My legs ached under the satin dress. When I reached the bridal floor, the hallway was deserted.
China’s suite door was open, and the room looked deserted. I went to my room, grabbed the black duffel, and came back to the bridal suite.
I opened China’s purse. Her phone, keys, and wallet were all still inside. Perfect. I took her phone and sat by the window to wait. I knew my sister. China wouldn’t stay downstairs, not after accusing me, not after learning the truth.
She would come back for her phone. She’d want proof, she’d want answers, and most of all, she’d want to know why.
I glanced down at my maid-of-honor dress, then looked up at China’s wedding dress reflected in the mirror.
The last part of my plan came sooner than I expected, but that was fine. I’d waited this long. Changing the timing didn’t bother me. China stood in the doorway, still in her wedding gown, mascara streaked down her face.
She stopped when she saw me. I smiled and held up her phone.
“I knew you would come back.”
China stared at me.
The door slowly closed behind her. For the first time in our lives, neither one of us had anywhere else to go.