I still thought it was too soon for Amanda to be pregnant by my ex under these circumstances, but I bit my tongue. I was supposed to have moved on, living the dream with Lucius.“It could be, but our wedding will be something intimate and private. We won’t have as many guests as you did,” I mentioned, thanking the server who brought me my coffee.“Intimate and private, and yet you invited my parents?” Andrew asked through gritted teeth.Oops. Guilty as charged. I had indeed invited my ex-in-laws just to show them what they were missing and, of course, to get under Amanda’s skin. As Lucius said, I couldn’t let go of this revenge.“Aren’t we family? It would’ve been unacceptable not to invite them,” I boasted with a malicious smile, sipping my coffee.Internally, I was dying of laughter at the hateful look Andrew gave me. I also enjoyed the way my dad nodded approvingly at my decision.“There’s something I still don’t understand, sister… When are we going to shop for your wedding d
When the wine arrived on a tray of cocktail glasses, I got even more excited and started drinking happily. I told them all about my terrible encounter with Serge and Amanda, while they shared how they got stuck in an elevator that morning. We laughed, drank, and I even danced with Jenna for a bit on the dance floor downstairs while Derek entertained some acquaintances he had run into.After a few hours, and after waiting in a ridiculously long line for the women’s restroom, Jenna and I finally got to rest at our assigned table.“I swear, next time I’m using the men’s restroom,” my friend complained. I laughed heartily.“I’ll join you. They wouldn’t even notice,” I said.“By the way, does your boss know where you are tonight?”“I don’t think so. We haven’t spoken today. He’s still acting distant,” I revealed, feeling a little sad.“Not on my watch! Derek, Peter, come over here right now!” Jenna shouted, probably thanks to the alcohol.Derek and Peter, who was one of the acquainta
Lucius's car parked near the curb where I stood waiting for him. The street was buzzing with people going in and out of the nearby clubs, so I quickly got into the vehicle to avoid causing more traffic.As soon as I fastened my seatbelt, I found exactly what I had expected—Lucius was in a foul mood and started driving without even greeting me.“What are you wearing on your head?” he asked.I touched my head, confused by his question, and felt the plastic crown that Jenna had put on me at some point during the night. I took it off and examined it in my hands.“It was my bachelorette party. Jenna crowned me,” I explained with a small smile, amused by how cheap the plastic felt.“A bachelorette party at a club? With those guys?” he snapped.I turned to Lucius, trying to understand his expression. It was one of the most irrational I’d seen from him—his irritation didn’t make sense.“What guys?” I asked, genuinely confused.“The ones in the photo your friend sent me,” he replied col
The truth was, Lucius had described himself perfectly. That was a big part of the image I had of him. I also thought about the good things he had, but no words came out of my mouth. He noticed and let out a low chuckle. We had arrived at my apartment, and he was about to park at the entrance.“Wouldn’t you rather use my parking spot? Or… do you want to come up to my place?” I offered, trying to smooth things over.He thought about it for a few seconds before driving into the underground parking lot. I used the remote I kept in my purse to open the gate, and a few minutes later, we were entering my apartment.I stood awkwardly by the door, holding my keys, unsure of what to say. It occurred to me to offer him food, so I headed straight to the kitchen.“Do you want something to drink? Or eat? I’m starving, and I have a ton of instant ramen,” I said, already setting a pot on the stove.Lucius sat in the armchair silently, as if he were debating what to say. I abandoned the pot and ap
I hadn’t been able to sleep or eat due to nerves. But the lack of sleep or food was well hidden under professional makeup and a dress like this one. Or at least that’s what Jenna kept telling me.“Oh my God! You look stunning! Like something out of a magazine!” she gushed as she adjusted the train of my wedding dress. “Look at yourself in the mirror!”Today was my wedding day. Finally, I was going to marry Lucius in a one-of-a-kind contract. I had been getting ready since early morning for the ceremony, here in this hotel room, along with a couple of stylists, a photographer, and Jenna.I took a deep breath before looking at my full bridal look in the floor-length mirror behind me. Once I felt ready, I turned around to take a good look, and I was left speechless at how beautiful the dress was.The reflection showed me in a mermaid-cut gown covered in divine lace with embroidered flowers and pearls. The dress fit my body like a corset, and the semi-sheer long sleeves, along with my
However, by the time we signed our names in the registry, those playful smiles had to come to an end. The officiant then asked us to kiss, and we did.It was probably the most chaste kiss we’d ever shared in our relationship. As we parted and turned to face our guests, I couldn’t help but notice the bitter expressions on some of my guests’ faces and the stunned looks on most of the Browns.We had done it. Lucius and I had defied all odds and gotten married.-The nerves should have calmed by now, but they hadn’t. The hard part was supposed to be over, yet as we waited to be announced at the reception hall inside the hotel, I still felt anxious.“What did the floor ever do to you for you to stomp on it so viciously?” Lucius asked, casually munching on grapes as if nothing were out of the ordinary, as if this little waiting room for the newlyweds was a spa.“Are you serious? I’ve felt like throwing up since this morning,” I complained.“Why? Did you eat too much last night?”“Pre
My feet pounded against the floor rhythmically, and my heart raced. I had finally done it—I’d finally gotten a promotion at work, and Andrew, my fiancé, was the first person who needed to know. Walking down the hallway, I clutched my briefcase tightly, grateful that no one else was around. They’d think I was crazy, especially since I was unable to control the huge smile on my face. But who could blame me?My life was finally transforming into what it was always meant to be—a happy, blissful life. In a few months, I would marry the love of my life, and I’d finally stop being relegated to serving coffee at the company. The tears, humiliation, and loneliness would end. I, Marianne Fairmount, would no longer be my family’s punching bag. I would be the wife of a promising entrepreneur and finally, finally, everyone would respect and accept me.“Andrew? I have great news…” I called out, opening the door to my future husband’s apartment.The living room lights were off, and a soft jazz mel
Yesterday morning, I’d woken up with the man I loved, chatting about how excited we were for the wedding of our dreams. This morning, I woke up in a cheap hotel room with my eyes swollen from crying so much. There would be no wedding, no happy ending for me, no family I had dreamed of. I was left with practically nothing. No roof over my head, and who knew whether Andrew would have the decency to return my clothes. The only thing I had left was my job. One to which I have returned, locking myself in my cubicle to immerse myself in my work and crunch out numbers. I worked for Fairmount Corporation, a fairly large real estate company dedicated to what all real estate companies do: buying and selling properties. And I, who had been a business administration graduate for almost three years, had been working there since then. The fact that I shared the same last name as the company was no coincidence. Its owner was my father. Fairmount Corporation was a family business, one in which I e