Days passed. Then Alyssa emailed—an “olive branch.” She asked for $30,000 to “finish wedding expenses,” floated a prenup. Michael confirmed it was a trap—designed to give her access, not protect Lucas.
I didn’t respond.
The morning of the wedding, Sofia called. Lucas had asked her to review his bank statements.
There were transfers. Thousands. To an account labeled AM Personal.
While they met at a café, Alyssa called Lucas screaming about money. He went to his apartment, overheard her say, “Just get him to the altar. We’ll clean out his accounts after the honeymoon.”
He canceled the wedding, grabbed his bags, and drove to my house.
“Mom,” he said on the porch, breaking, “I’m sorry.”
Alyssa called again. We put it on speaker.
“This is over,” I said.
She raged. Threatened lawsuits.
“Try,” Michael told her later.
Charges followed—identity theft, wire fraud, financial exploitation. With Lucas’s cooperation, the case was strong. Alyssa was convicted, sentenced to prison, ordered to repay what she stole, and barred from contacting us.
Life grew quiet again.