Chapter 4
Alexander scanned the room packed with guests, his gaze landing on Charlotte, his beloved, standing there in her wedding dress. But instead of happiness, all he felt was a gnawing irritation in his chest.
He didn't have time to dwell on it, though. His wedding was about to start.
The music began, and his bodyguard moved to wheel him in.
Just then, his assistant rushed over, looking flustered.
"Mr. Grant, Ms. Rivers is calling. Do you want to take it?" the assistant asked nervously.
Even after letting her go, Alexander still had people secretly watching Tiffany's every move.
His assistant didn't dare decide this on his own.
Alexander's frown eased into a mocking smirk. "Figures. She's pulling the same old stunt."
Still, he picked up the call.
"Alexander, help me! I've been kidnapped." Tiffany's voice came through, panicked and desperate.
Before he could say a word, a strange man's voice cut in, "Cut the crap. 700,000 dollars. You've got half an hour, or she's dead."
Alexander just smirked, not buying it for a second. "Tiffany, what kind of game are you playing now?"
Her voice came through, shaking with fear. "Please, I'm not lying!"
"Really?" he shot back. "You lied about being pregnant just to wreck my wedding with Charlotte.
"Now you're telling me you've been kidnapped?
"Tiffany, if you're going to fake it, at least make it convincing. 700,000 dollars? That wouldn't even buy one of my pens. How pathetic."
Tiffany screamed, her voice raw with desperation, "Alexander, I'm not lying to you. Even if you don't care about me, what about our baby?
"I really am pregnant.
"Alexander, if you don't come, I'll die!"
The moment she brought up the baby, Alexander's face turned ice-cold. "Then die."
He always had people keeping tabs on her. If she were really in danger, he'd know.
He snorted with disdain, tossed the phone to his assistant, and ordered, "I don't want to hear a word about her today."
He heard nothing until the wedding was over.
After the ceremony, the kidnappers sent over a video—proof that Tiffany was really gone.
Alexander watched it. Tiffany's tear-streaked face twisted in agony as the flames roared around her. The shock hit him so hard that his face went deathly pale, and he just toppled out of his wheelchair, completely undone.
*****
I was grinning wide, absolutely enjoying the chaos.
The system screeched, "Are you seriously just sitting here watching?
"That rich heir you cheated with? Ethan's about to beat him to a pulp!"
I yelled, "What?"
When I got to the hospital, Ethan, six-foot-three and all, was squatting there like a stray puppy, looking up at me with those big, sad eyes.
Seeing his beat-up face just made my urge to bully him flare up.
Ugh, I was such a creep.
I slapped on my shades, my face icy, and strode right past him into the hospital room.
Ethan, his eyes red and wild, suddenly clung to my foot.
He whined, sounding so pitiful, "Baby, if you want someone else, I won't stop you. But not him. He's a total mess, and worst of all, he doesn't even know your name!"
I rubbed my nose, feeling guilty, then shoved him away with my foot, not holding back at all. "So what? He's got way more money than you."
"But baby, I've got money too," Ethan pleaded, sounding hurt and desperate.
The next second, my phone chimed. A payment notification—70,000 dollars, just transferred to me.
I stared at the alert, totally stunned. Wait, what the hell? Wasn't he broke and grinding through his startup?
The system finally spoke up. "Underground fighting."
I shrieked, "What?"
The system screeched even louder than me, "I never thought he was a total simp for love. Guess it's time to play the final card."
I still had no idea what that meant.
Suddenly, my stomach lurched with nausea.
I lunged for the trash can, gagging and retching like crazy.