When the Bill Is Due

Prologue: A Tradition of Tricks

Family gatherings in our world always came with a predictable twist. Ever since I joined Dan’s family—a world of lavish homes, glittering parties, and effortless luxury—I had learned one unsettling fact: my husband’s kin were notorious for “forgetting” their wallets at every restaurant. They would order the most extravagant dishes, savor the finest wines, and then, when the check arrived, vanish into thin air with nothing but a flurry of feigned apologies and empty promises. Over the years, their elaborate excuses became an unwritten tradition, one that I, raised to believe that true character is measured by what you give, not what you have, found utterly infuriating.

But one fateful evening, everything changed.