Prologue

Elisabeth

A year ago...

A tune from one of those Disney cartoons kept ringing in my head as I got ready to wear my dress. I'd been admiring it since I got it last month and I still couldn't believe the D-Day was finally here. 

I was going to be married to the love of my life, my first and last crush Bennett Owens two hours from now. 

"You're so beautiful E." My best friend and maid of honor Julianne grinned at me. 

"Thank you." I grinned back. I blew out my breath and picked up my phone to check if I'd gotten any message from Ben but my screen was blank.

"You know you're going to see him in a few hours right?". Jules teased me. "That phone has not left your side in days."

"Um... Excuse me "miss tease the nervous bride", I've not seen Ben for two days now." I reminded her. "The last time I saw him..."

"I know. You saw him at the club just before he was hauled away by his annoying friends for a two day bachelor party." Jules rolled her eyes. "I hate those guys."

"No you don't." I snorted. "You have this huge crush on Ephraim but he doesn't notice you so you hate him for not noticing you."

"Thank you for stating the obvious... Captain obvious." She clicked her tongue.

"I can't believe this is finally happening." I murmured. 

"Seven years." Jules stated in disbelief. "Seven years with this guy and now you're finally getting there." She placed her hand on my arm. "I'm so happy for you E."

"I'm happy for myself too." I squealed and she burst out laughing.

A minute later my mom walked into the room and when she saw me still seated and not dressed in my gown yet, her brows furrowed and as she opened her mouth to lecture me about my state of undress, I held my hand up stopping her from speaking.

"I know. I was just about to put it before you walked in." I assured her.

"Fine." She huffed. "I just came to give you this." She handed a box to me. "Your grandma gave it to me when I married your father and now it's your turn to have it. Something old."

My mouth dropped open as I took the box from her knowing exactly what was inside. I'd always longed to have this for myself ever since I was a kid but mom would never let me touch it and now it was mine.

I opened the box and gasped. The diamond necklace and earrings were just almost exactly like my engagement ring but more beautiful.

"Thank you mom." Tears gathered in my eyes but I blinked them back. I didn't want my makeup ruined and having to start all over again.

"This is from your father and I." She beamed as she retrieved another box. "Something new."

"Aww. Mommy." I crooned. "You're going to make me cry."

"You're my only daughter Elisabeth. If we don't spoil you then who else will we spoil?". She cupped my face and kissed my forehead. "Let's get you married."

"Yay!". I clapped my hands.

I was helped into my dress which was the most gorgeous dress I've ever owned. My father was a millionaire but I didn't think my mom would go the extra mile of getting me my dream dress from Ophelia's which was the go to bridal boutique for any bride who wanted to shine on her wedding day.

Only the rich and famous people visited stores like Ophelia's and though we were rich but I was sure this dress and my shoes must have cost them a small fortune but I was eternally grateful to them for making sure I wasn't embarrassed on my wedding day.

"Oh my dear girl. I never thought this day would come." Mom framed my face in her hands. "Elisabeth Nadine Stevenson... soon to be Mrs Elisabeth Nadine Owens."

"Don't cry mommy or I'll start crying too." I said.

"No crying." Jules warned. "You know how long it took for your makeup to be done and you have just one hour until you're to be at the church."

Mom and I nodded our heads and Jules smiled triumphantly.

"Mommy, have you heard from Ben?." I questioned. "He's not texted me since... the last time I saw him."

"He should be at the church now." Mom smiled assuringly. 

"Okay." I nodded. The butterflies in my stomach were doing some acrobatic moves that stemmed from nervousness and excitement but I couldn't tell which was on top. I just wanted to get married.

"Can I come in?". I heard my dad's voice call from outside.

"Yes daddy." I replied.

The door opened and daddy walked in. He shut the door then stopped short when he saw me and before I knew it, tears gathered in his eyes as well.

"Wow." He said. He looked me over and said it again. "I'm not so sure I want to give you away now."

Mom, Jules and I laughed.

"You're beyond gorgeous my princess." Dad pulled me into his embrace. 

"Thank you daddy." I smiled at him when we pulled back. "Thank you for my dress and the gifts. You both didn't have to."

"Nonsense." Dad waved off my gratitude dismissively. "You deserve this and more. If Ben wasn't Owens' son, I wouldn't have given my consent. You're a princess and princesses don't live like commoners."

Bennett Owens was the second son of Philip Owens, who was a real estate mogul and also was a shareholder in some big companies in the country.

I'd never been one to let my parents wealth get into my head which was why I'd refused to take the position dad had offered me in his company. He wanted me to be the head of Marketing and production but I wanted to work in a publishing company or if I couldn't... I'd love to teach literature.

"Yes daddy." I said knowing he was expecting a response from me. "Thank you."

"Now, are we ready to leave?". He asked.

"Yes." Mom said. "I hope there won't be traffic."

"I can always rent an helicopter if there's traffic." Dad joked.

I knew he could do it but I hoped it wouldn't come to that.

~~~~~

"Are you nervous?". Jules asked me as we waited in the car.

"Very." I nodded. "What if he changes his mind and says no I don't?". I asked her. "I would die."

"Nonsense. That guy loves you so much that it's not funny anymore." Jules rolled her eyes. "He's obsessed with you and I have to say that I'm impressed he didn't let his friends behaviors sway him."

I blew out my breath guessing she was right. Ben and I had been together for seven years so he wouldn't do anything to satobage that.

Jules' phone pinged in her purse and I knew a notification had come in. I watched as she took it out of her purse, frowned at the screen then glanced at me.

"What?". I asked.

"Um... I don't know." Jules made a face. "Someone sent me a video."

"Of who?".

Jules shrugged. "Let's watch it later. It probably doesn't concern us."

I wanted to say okay but I didn't know what possessed me to tell her to let us watch it. If it really didn't concern us then we'd have a good laugh or be disgusted by it because nowadays celebrities no longer had any shame when it came to keeping their lives private.

"Are you sure?".

"We have a few minutes to kill don't we?".

"Okay." She clicked on the video, waited for a second and then both of our jaws dropped when we realized that it wasn't about someone who wasn't known to us but someone Jules was just praising a few minutes ago.

"Oh my gosh!". Jules exclaimed and turned off her phone letting the screen go black. "Oh my gosh." She fanned her face.

I didn't know how to feel but I felt my heart exploding in my chest like a nuclear bomb. All I could think of was... Seven years of waiting and under two days, he'd ruined us.

A knock on the window of the car brought me out of my daze and I turned to see the event planner Caroline gesturing that it was time.

"Are you okay?". Jules looked at me with concern probably wondering why I wasn't reacting.

"I'm fine." I stated. "Let's go."

She looked shocked but thankfully didn't question me and I was grateful for that. Daddy asked me the same question seeing that my once happy face was now devoid of any emotion and I told him the same thing.

"You look beautiful my love." Ben whispered in my ear as we both stood in front of the priest.

I forced a smile on my face but said nothing. The priest went through the motions asking Ben if he would take me as his lawfully wedded wife and he said yes then it was my turn and he asked me the same thing but I took so long in answering that the crowd began to murmur.

"Love?". He touched my elbow.

"Seven years." I muttered in a surprisingly steady voice. "Two days and some hours."

"What are you talking about?". Ben frowned at me.

My gorgeous bouquet dropped to the floor by my feet and everyone in the crowd gasped in shock. My engagement ring came off next and dropped to the floor at his feet and this time my dad rose to his feet.

"Beth, what are you doing?". He demanded.

"Everyone thinks their lies will never catch up to them but yours did. Thank you for letting me dodge this missile Ben." I told him.

"What are you..."

I didn't bother waiting to hear what he had to say as I lifted the hem of my dress and sprinted down the aisle leaving the crowd, my parents and my idiot fiance wondering what the hell was going on.

I could just imagine the headline news tomorrow; Daughter of Millionaire Edward Stevenson flees from church leaving groom at the altar.

Ben would look like the victim and me the bad guy but right now I'm too pissed off to care.