The heavy brass doors opened again, and Jessica rushed out onto the driveway, holding the skirt of her white lace wedding gown above the dusty pavement.
Jessica: Dad! What is going on out here?! Everyone inside is talking about Chloe!
David: Jessica, go back inside with Mark!
Jessica: No! She completely ruined my toast moment! Who gave her permission to take the microphone?!
Chloe: Nobody gave me permission, Jessica. The caterer handed it to me because Dad was yelling at me in front of two hundred people.
Jessica: You made up that salary number just to humiliate me on my wedding day!
Chloe: I don't need to make up numbers, Jessica. Some of us actually work for a living.
Jessica: Dad, tell her to leave! She's ruining my pictures!
David: Jessica, be quiet for one second! Chloe is working for Calder Biotech!
Jessica: So what?! Who cares about some stupid science lab?!
David: Arthur Calder is the key investor for my firm's real estate loan next month!
Jessica stopped shouting, looking between her father and her sister in confusion.
Jessica: What does that have to do with my wedding?
David: If Arthur Calder thinks I mistreat my own genius daughter, he will pull the five-million-dollar funding agreement!
Chloe: Oh, so that's why you ran out here after me, Dad. It wasn't because you were sorry. It was because of your business loan.
David: No, Chloe! That's not the only reason!
Chloe: It's the only reason that ever mattered to you.
Jessica glared at Chloe, her cheeks turning bright red under her heavy bridal makeup.
Jessica: You always do this! You always try to act smarter than everyone else!
Chloe: I am smarter than you, Jessica. I finished my degree in three years while holding two research grants.
Jessica: You're just jealous because Mark chose me instead of you in college!
Chloe: Mark was a frat boy who failed basic chemistry twice. I let you have him five minutes after I met him.
David: Girls, stop arguing right now! People can hear you from the patio!
Chloe: Let them hear, Dad. Let everyone know what kind of family this really is.
Their mother, Eleanor, stepped out onto the driveway wearing a pale pink mother-of-the-bride dress, holding a glass of white wine.
Eleanor: David! What is taking so long? The band is starting the first dance!
David: Eleanor, did you hide Chloe's graduation invitations from me three weeks ago?
Eleanor paused, taking a slow sip of her wine before shrugging her shoulders casually.
Eleanor: Oh, those paper letters? They were just promotional flyers from her university. We had Jessica's catering tasting that weekend.
David: They were not flyers! She graduated number one in her class, Summa Cum Laude!
Eleanor: Well, good for her. But today is Jessica's special day. Chloe can talk about her little school certificate tomorrow.
Chloe: It's not a little certificate, Mom. It's a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Genetics.
Eleanor: Don't use that tone with me, young lady. We paid for your high school private tuition!
Chloe: And I paid for my own college tuition with academic scholarships and night shifts at the hospital pantry!
Eleanor: You always were so dramatic. Just come inside, eat your chicken dinner, and let your sister have her moment.
Chloe: I'm not coming back inside, Mom. And I'm not eating your chicken dinner.
A sleek silver executive sedan pulled up to the valet curb, stopping right in front of Chloe.
The back door opened, and an older man in a tailored grey suit stepped out onto the pavement.
Arthur: Chloe! I thought that was you standing out here.
David gasped, taking a quick step forward and straightening his tuxedo jacket.
David: Mr. Calder! What a pleasure to see you outside!
Arthur Calder ignored David completely, walking straight up to Chloe with a warm, professional smile.
Arthur: My head of HR told me you were attending a family event today, but I didn't realize it was the Vance wedding.
Chloe: Hello, Mr. Calder. Yes, my sister just got married.
Arthur: Congratulations to the family. But more importantly, congratulations to you, Chloe. We are thrilled to have you leading our gene-therapy research team next Monday.
David's face turned completely white as he stared at the billionaire investor.
David: Leading... leading the research team?
Arthur: Of course, David. Your daughter published two breakthrough papers on cellular regeneration before she even received her diploma. She's a prodigy.