Uncle Gerald didn't respond to Aunt Judith directly. Instead, he called Patricia Simmons. "Natalie's family has another tradition—they want two million dollars as a door-opening gift."

"Get it ready. Now."

I tried to speak up several times, but Uncle Gerald stopped me each time.

Aunt Judith chattered nonstop the entire ride, going on about how wonderful Natalie was, how many boys had lined up to court her.

She said I'd gotten the deal of a lifetime—that if Natalie and I hadn't been classmates all those years, I'd never have had a shot.

Uncle Gerald kept a smile plastered on his face, making conversation with her.

My expression grew darker by the minute.

"Plenty of successful men in the big city would love to marry Natalie. Men from families far better off than yours."

"Don't act like shelling out a little money is some great sacrifice. There are plenty of men who'd be happy to spend on her."

Aunt Judith was still running her mouth when her phone rang.

After taking the call, her face turned even uglier.

"What the hell are you people trying to pull? You think my sister and her husband are pushovers?"

She turned her fire on Uncle Gerald. That's when I realized Patricia had arranged for people to keep working on Natalie's parents, trying to talk them down.

Two million—we genuinely didn't have it. Even if the banks were open, we couldn't have pulled it together.

Mrs. Chavez had called her sister directly to tell her as much.

"If you're serious about marrying Natalie, you'll have two million ready. Don't go behind my back with these little schemes."

"If you won't pay up, turn the car around."

Uncle Gerald's voice turned urgent. "Judith, my brother does run a business, but the profits only go so far. Between one thing and another, the wedding's already cost them several million."

"Two million for the door-opening gift—we just can't swing it. We're all doing this for the kids, right? Can we meet in the middle? We'll scrape together as much as we can, and you come down a little?"

"If you can't even bring yourselves to spend money now, what happens after Natalie marries in? You'll be even stingier with her then."

Aunt Judith's position was crystal clear. Two million, or Natalie wasn't marrying me.

I turned to look at Natalie. She sat with her head bowed, not saying a word.

I couldn't hold back any longer. "Natalie, does your aunt have some kind of grudge against you? Is she afraid you might actually be happy?"

"What did you just say?"

Aunt Judith erupted, jabbing her finger at me. "Natalie isn't even your wife yet and you're already trying to drive a wedge between us! If I let you marry her, would you even show me an ounce of respect?"

My temper flared right back. "Is this how an elder is supposed to act?"

"Natalie, I'm asking you one question. Without the two million, are you getting out of this car or not?"

"I'll do what my aunt says." Natalie's voice cracked.

"Uncle Gerald, turn around. Take her back."

I'd reached my limit. Everyone had seen what it took to scrape together that first million. Natalie's family had watched every agonizing second of it.

And now they wanted two million more. If they didn't want this wedding, then fine—there wouldn't be one.

Uncle Gerald didn't turn around. He snapped at me instead, told me to shut my mouth.

I sat there stone-faced, seething in silence. If I could have it my way, I wanted this wedding too.

I'd invited every friend I had to today's ceremony. Calling it off at the last minute—I'd never live it down.

And I knew that was exactly why my parents were still swallowing their pride, still scrambling for money. They were terrified of the humiliation.

Every relative, every friend was already there. Nobody wanted to become a joke on a day like this.

Before long, the motorcade pulled up outside the hotel.

My parents were waiting out front.

The moment the car stopped, they hurried over, my father carrying a large leather suitcase.

He popped it open and turned it toward Aunt Judith. "We're family now. There's one million eight hundred and eighty thousand in here—an auspicious number. Will this do?"

The cash inside blazed red, almost blinding.

Looking at my parents standing there with those strained smiles on their faces, a tangle of emotions knotted in my chest.

That $1.88 million had cost my family more favors than I could count.

Today was supposed to be a happy occasion, but there wasn't an ounce of joy in my heart.

I looked at Aunt Judith again. Her expression hadn't softened one bit. "Two million. Not a cent less."

My mother hurried toward another car to negotiate with Natalie's parents. But those two never made a single decision on their own—just one refrain: "Whatever Judith says."

I forced myself to stay calm as I stepped out of the car. I opened the rear door. "Natalie, today is our wedding day. Can you please get out of the car?"

Aunt Judith glared at me. "Get out? Have you got the money ready?"

My father jumped in quickly. "We really can't scrape together that $120,000 on such short notice, but I give you my word—once the receivables come in, I'll make it up to Natalie."

"I'll add an extra $200,000. She absolutely won't be shortchanged."

"If you don't trust me, I'll write an IOU."

Aunt Judith's face remained cold. "The moment Natalie's left here with you, she's too soft-hearted. You'll sweet-talk her for two minutes and the whole thing will be swept under the rug."

"I need to see the money today. I already said—not one cent less."

Patricia stepped forward. "Judith, how about this—you all stay a few extra days, enjoy yourselves, and once we've made up the difference for Natalie and you're satisfied, you can head home."

"You think everyone's got that kind of free time?" Aunt Judith's eyes bulged. "We all carved time out of our schedules to be here. We don't have the luxury of hanging around. Money. Now."

"Auntie, let me handle this."

I stepped forward and locked my eyes on Natalie. "Natalie, it's $120,000 short. Are you really not getting out of the car?"

My tone had already shifted. Natalie kept her head down, fidgeting with her fingers, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'll do whatever Aunt Judith says."

"If you won't get out—"

"Bruno, don't." My mother rushed over and grabbed my arm. "Natalie, sweetheart, don't worry. We'll figure something out. We'll make sure you're satisfied."

Watching my parents grovel like this, the fire inside me burned hotter and hotter. I knew our relatives and friends were all biting their tongues too.

Then I watched my mother dial yet another number, lowering her voice, begging someone for help—asking them to pitch in.

I couldn't take it anymore.

Thud.

I dropped to my knees in front of my parents.