She walked down the aisle to "Ave Maria," hanging off my father’s arm while wearing her enormous gown with a veil and crown adorning her head. Many of the women among the guests were moved. The cathedral was packed to the brim, and the decor was straight out of a fairytale, I’d admit that much. The problem was the embarrassed looks on the faces of several members of Andrew's family. I even saw his brother whispering mockingly to one of the groomsmen. When Serge handed Amanda over to Andrew, no one could have guessed that these two were secretly at each other's throats, fighting tooth and nail to keep up appearances. The ceremony began. To me, it felt fake, boring, and monotonous, despite Amelia's tearful eyes and those of the other bridesmaids. And just like that, my sister and my ex-boyfriend got married. They became husband and wife right before my eyes. - After a thousand photos with the wedding party outside the cathedral, I was finally free to escape this den of snakes. T
Even Amelia’s discomfort didn’t make me feel any better. Lucius, on the other hand, reveled in it. He enjoyed this kind of torture, especially when it was directed at Amelia’s past. He had already asked her several times about her supposed archaeological training in Egypt or if it was true that she spoke Mandarin. Amelia couldn’t have looked worse—she had asked to go to the bathroom at least three times.Serge wasn’t paying attention to his wife at all. He was more focused on greeting guests and entertaining them, maintaining the image of the perfect father, not just in front of the family but also in front of his employees. Half of Fairmount Corporation was included among the 400 guests, which reminded me that Jenna had mentioned she’d be there too."I’ll be right back. I’m going to say hi to Jenna," I told Lucius.He smiled and continued charming the table. I searched for my friend, eventually spotting her in a far-off corner table, surrounded by our work team—Amy, Melanie, Karen,
The world spun, even with my eyes closed as I woke up—I could still feel it. I had definitely had too much to drink at my sister’s pathetic wedding. Smiling, I snuggled deeper into my small bed. It was hard to pick the best part of that hellish wedding—the critical mother-in-law, the hypocritical father, or the sulking groom who had been miserable all night.I tried to fall back asleep, hoping the hangover would ease, but worried it might be late, I forced my eyes open. Blurry, I saw it was 2 PM, which wasn’t too bad. I snuggled back down, pressing my back against the warmth beside me. It felt so good—so warm."Are you doing that on purpose? I swear you are."My eyes flew open, and I turned in shock to find… Lucius lying beside me, his face resting on his arm. I reacted faster than I could think, trying to push myself away from him while screaming at the top of my lungs.But my bed was tiny, and in my attempt to get away, I tumbled backward, landing on the floor with a thud. I groa
"Very funny, huh? It was obvious this apartment didn’t match your lifestyle. I’ll move in with you, but I’ll keep visiting my place regularly—it’s my investment," I told him, settling our arrangement. He seemed satisfied. "Another thing we need to discuss: how long is this marriage supposed to last?""Two to three years should be enough.""Two to three years? Isn’t that too long?""Trust me, I’m not giving my family the satisfaction of seeing me divorce within a year. They’re probably betting on how short my marriage will last. I’m not letting them win. Or do you have other plans during that time?"I mulled over being locked in a contract for that long. I’d be nearing 30 when it was all over, but I stood to gain a lot if I played my cards right."I can understand that. Who would’ve thought you’d put more thought into our relationship than just sex?" I teased.He didn’t take the bait."To clarify, sex is still a top priority. I have a varied and intense sexual appetite, and you’l
It was just another Tuesday, during an ordinary week at work. No extravagant or noteworthy events had happened during the workday worth mentioning, except that we had been given Monday off to recover from the aftermath of Amanda’s wedding.That said, I had to note how unusually calm the office was after a day off. I was typing up a document on my computer, my mind drifting to how quiet and peaceful everything felt."Your favorite. To start the week off right," Amy announced as she placed a cup of coffee on my desk.First, I noticed the branded cup—she had gotten it from an outside café. Then, I looked at her, holding another tray with several coffees. She was smiling and being friendly toward me."Thanks..." I said uncertainly, taking a sip.I was unsure because Amy had never bought me coffee before. She had never smiled at me like this or been so friendly. To top it off, Melanie walked over and placed a box of fried pastries on my desk."You’ve got to try these. They’re from the
“So, what’s going on? You go first; you’re terrible at hiding when something’s bothering you,” Lucius said.The sad part was that he was right. I was awful at handling my emotions and keeping them hidden.“Seems like everyone out there knows we’re getting married… and they’re treating me suspiciously well. Amy even joked about me inviting her to the wedding,” I explained.Lucius tilted his head, puzzled.“With that ring on your finger and the way we danced at our sister’s wedding, they’d have to be idiots not to figure it out,” he said, pulling off his blanket.I went from feeling like a regular weirdo to feeling like an embarrassed weirdo.“Could you never refer to Amanda as ‘our sister’ again?” I demanded.“I don’t know, the more I think about it, it kind of turns me on,” he joked flirtatiously.I rolled my eyes dramatically, pretending to cry, and Lucius laughed like the shameless guy he was. Then he pulled out a black envelope from a compartment, handing it to me.“What’s
"I think I’ve got it. Would you be okay with an outdoor ceremony?""I wouldn’t mind. I’ll send you my guest list tonight," Lucius said, already distracted by a call that had come in, his face showing clear annoyance.I held back a smile as I left his office, a massive task on my shoulders—organizing a wedding in less than a month.-The first step in planning a wedding was finding the right venue. I reached out to several halls and clubs for appointments, but this yacht club responded the quickest. Currently, I was walking along the docks with Jenna and the event coordinator, taking in the stunning view."The civil ceremony can be held in our gardens, and the reception can be held inside," the woman explained.The club screamed elegance and luxury from every angle. It was beautiful, but it also felt like one of those places reserved for a very specific crowd. Lucius sure knew how to set a high bar."Could we hold both the ceremony and reception outside?" Jenna asked."It’s poss
What I thought would be a simple wedding venue search had turned into a nightmare. I was pinned against the bathroom wall by a stranger who seemed to hate me though I didn’t even know her. Her sharp nails dug into my cheeks, and she was hurling insults in a language I didn’t understand. It hurt."Let me go!" I demanded, pushing at the woman’s chest. But she didn’t let go."I’m just getting started with you!" she yelled, her voice filled with fury. "What do you have on him? Are you pregnant? You’re just a child!""My relationship is none of your business! Let me go, or I’ll call security!" I tried to pry her claws off my face, but her grip was too strong.The woman laughed—a cold, chilling sound, like my threat amused her. Her icy blue eyes and blonde hair gave her a menacing aura. I was terrified and wished I were anywhere else but there.A small spark of hope appeared when the bathroom door opened. Two tall men in uniform stepped in. Finally, security! I had a way out."Help! Sh