Chapter 1
When I was dating my boyfriend, his best friend, Charles Rivers, never missed a chance to badmouth me.
"Honestly, she's just a pretty face, nothing else," Charles would scoff.
"Man, she's already checking up on you every time you go out for drinks. Soon enough, she'll have you wrapped around her finger."
"Seriously, man, grow a spine. Don't be her lapdog, okay?"
Thanks to Charles's constant badmouthing, my boyfriend dumped me without a second thought.
Two months later, he started to regret it and called me late at night, wanting to get back together.
But it was Charles who picked up the phone.
"Bro, the moment I laid eyes on your girlfriend, I knew I had to stick around you," Charles said.
"Oh, and by the way, we're tying the knot next month. Don't forget to show up."
*****
Charles was introduced to me by my boyfriend, Edward Mason, at a dinner party.
"Babe, this is Charles," Edward said, his voice full of respect.
I glanced over, feeling a bit nervous.
Charles was sitting right in the center of the room, his features relaxed, his looks striking, and his presence impossible to ignore.
He was definitely either loaded or had some serious connections.
He was way out of Edward's league, even though Edward was a rich kid himself.
I greeted him politely, "Hi, Charles. I'm Sunny Fields."
Charles didn't nod or say anything. He stared at me.
He stared for two or three seconds.
After a moment, he finally turned to Edward and asked, "Your girlfriend?"
"Yeah, Charles," Edward replied.
"Fine." Charles suddenly turned away with an impatient look, never really paying me any attention from start to finish.
I scratched my head, feeling a bit awkward.
Even if I was clueless, I could sense this big shot wasn't exactly a fan of mine.
And it didn't take long for my gut feeling to be proven right.
On Edward's birthday, he threw a party with a bunch of friends, including Charles.
I was late because I had to work overtime.
As I reached for the door to the private room, I heard Charles drawling from inside. "Edward, your girlfriend's a pretty face. What do you even see in her?"
Who knew even the big shots gossiped like this?
I was kind of embarrassed.
I awkwardly pulled my hand back from the door, trying to remember if I'd ever done anything to tick off Mr. High-and-Mighty.
Inside, Edward replied, "Of course, it's her face and her body. She's got that sweet-but-sexy vibe. Who could resist? Right, Charles?"
There was a strange silence for a few seconds before Charles finally spoke up, "So, you actually want to marry her?"
Edward hesitated. "Honestly, I have no idea.
"Sunny's gorgeous, no doubt about it, but she's kind of clueless sometimes. Her folks are regular farmers.
"I really don't want my marriage to be the reason I lose out to my brother."
Edward had a half-brother from his dad's affair, and they were both fighting over the family inheritance.
I was already aware of that.
My parents, ordinary folks, worked the land. They couldn't offer him any help at all.
Charles gave a noncommittal grunt. "Yeah, you two come from completely different backgrounds.
"You'd better be careful. It's not worth losing the big prize over something small."
Edward was really touched. "Thanks for looking out for me, Charles. Here's to you!
"It means a lot that you came for my birthday. If you ever need anything, let me know. I've got your back."
Everyone raised their glasses for another round, showering Charles with praise.
I stood outside the door, feeling a bit down.
It stung hearing Charles badmouth me.
It hurt seeing how far apart our worlds were.
And it hurt even more that Edward couldn't say for sure he wanted to marry me.
But then I told myself that it had only been a couple of months, so we'd got plenty of time to figure things out.
By the time the conversation inside had moved on, I'd pulled myself together and walked in.
When Edward saw me, he acted as if nothing had happened, kept piling food onto my plate.
The other rich kids greeted me, mostly out of respect for Edward.
But Charles? From the moment I walked in, he looked cold and impatient, as if he were in a terrible mood.
Alright then, it looked like he still couldn't stand me. Guess I would steer clear of him. I thought to myself, keeping my guard up.
After that night, Edward really hitched his wagon to Charles, hoping to ride his coattails.
He was always out drinking and partying with Charles and the other trust fund kids he led.
Every night, he'd come home reeking of booze, with a hint of some unfamiliar woman's perfume clinging to him.
It was cheap stuff and cloyingly sweet, the kind I'd smell on a club girl.
And for some reason, ever since he started hanging out with those guys, he'd come home finding fault with me.
He'd say I couldn't hold my liquor, that I was too shy, that I was always trying to keep him on a leash.
His complaints about me kept piling up.
One night, when Edward was out drinking again and still hadn't come home late at night, I couldn't help but call him, worried sick.
"Edward, how late are you going to stay out drinking tonight?" I asked.
Guys were weird about this kind of thing.
They absolutely hated it when their girlfriend called them home while they were out with the guys. It made them feel like their manhood was on the line.