Chapter 1
On the day of the wedding, my fiancé, Charles Ashford, who was hopeless with directions, ended up at his female best friend's house instead of mine.
Chloe Ryvyn raised an eyebrow. "Well, since you're already here, why not tie the knot before you go?"
The groomsmen burst out laughing and pushed Charles toward Chloe.
"Kiss her. Kiss her." they shouted.
"Charles, why are you acting all shy? Weren't you burying your face in her chest at the bachelor party last night and sleeping in the same bed with her?" one of them joked.
Charles laughed and gave the groomsman a playful kick. "Knock it off, my fiancée is still waiting for me."
But his ears were turning red.
Chloe shrugged.
"I don't mind, but someone's little bride is probably freaking out right now," she teased.
Charles finally remembered to call me, his tone laid-back. "Sweetheart, I got lost again. Guess I'll roll with it and marry Chloe first.
"I'll make it up to you with a proper wedding later."
I stayed silent and turned to my secretary.
"Go ahead and tell my dad I agree to the arranged marriage," I said.
*****
On the video call, the rowdy groomsmen suddenly went quiet.
Charles frowned, thought for a second, then scoffed. "Quit acting. You're a love child, who'd want to form an alliance with someone like you?
"Don't be so petty. I made a huge deal out of this whole wedding thing. If I don't go through with it, how's Chloe supposed to look good?
"Your grandma wants to see the wedding video? I'll get someone to swap Chloe's face with yours in the footage."
Last night, my grandma had a rare moment of clarity, her hands shaking as she brought ours together.
He knelt by her bedside and promised he'd take care of me for the rest of his life.
But then he turned around and spent the night getting cozy with Chloe at the bachelor party.
My eyes were red as I raised my voice, demanding answers. "So, burying your face in her chest and cuddling in bed, was that you getting lost again?"
Charles's face flashed with embarrassment and annoyance as he lowered his voice, warning me. "Shut up. Do you have to make such a scene?"
Chloe leaned in close to the camera, a mocking smile on her lips.
"Come on, sharing a bed is nothing. When we were two, we used to run around naked in the tub together. You're only getting jealous now? Isn't it a bit late for that?" she teased.
With a few casual words, she brushed off her inappropriate behavior as if it were nothing.
And like that, I came off as the crazy one.
The groomsmen burst out laughing, all talking at once.
"Chloe grew up with us. You could never compete with that, no matter how jealous you are," one of them said.
"Someone like you, an illegitimate kid, if you weren't hanging onto Charles, who would even care about you? Your mom was some side chick who never amounted to anything, " Alex Mercer sneered.
"Alex," Charles snapped, cutting him off. "Don't say that."
He glanced at me nervously, his eyes full of guilt and concern.
My face went pale, my chest tightening with bitterness.
Ten years ago, my mom was working as a part-time server at a party when she saw Charles, drunk and about to fall off the balcony.
She rushed over to save him, but he fell onto her, and she tragically lost her life because of it.
If she were still here, she would never let anyone treat me this way.
Chloe crossed her arms and gave me a dismissive smirk. "Don't tell me you're actually gonna cry now?
"Come on, if there was really something between us, you wouldn't even stand a chance.
"Alright, alright, it's all my fault. I'll leave, okay?"
Charles's expression darkened. He hurried over and pulled Chloe into his arms, then gave me a look full of blame.
"Chloe came all the way back from overseas for our wedding. Fine, you don't have to appreciate it, but what's with chasing her off?" he said, his tone full of reproach.
Seeing Chloe's smug, taunting grin, I suddenly felt like none of this mattered anymore.
I yanked the wedding ring off my finger and threw it right at the screen.
I said, "Let her stay. I'm leaving.
"You want to get married so bad? I'll have someone deliver the ring to you."
Charles's eyes burned with fury as he stared at the ring. "Sophie Sinclair, how generous of you.
"Believe me, if you really send that ring over today, I'll swap you out for a new bride right on the spot."