I stepped through the grand gates of our estate. Today, I was meeting the man I was going to marry.
Not Jax. Though, I hadn’t canceled our wedding. No, that would be too easy. I wanted him standing at the altar, waiting, humiliated in front of everyone, only to find out that I had already married someone else. A brutal ending for the man who had lied to me for years.
As I walked into the living room, I came to a sharp stop.
A tall man sat on the couch, one leg crossed over the other, his posture relaxed yet commanding. His sharp features were even more defined than I remembered, his piercing eyes scanning me with unreadable interest. Familiar.
Gavion Smith.
Jax’s childhood friend turned enemy. The man who had always stood toe-to-toe with him, challenging him in everything. The man I used to have a crush on before I made the worst mistake of my life—choosing Jax instead.
I inhaled sharply, my lips curving. Maybe this wasn’t a mistake after all.
My mother cleared her throat, pulling my attention back. “You’re here now. Finally.” She smiled at me. “Meet Gavion Smith. He was the one I’ve been wanting you to marry since. This marriage will benefit both families,” she said, her gaze steady. “But I won’t force you if you don’t want him. As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.”
My happiness. How ironic. I had spent years believing I was happy with Jax, blinded by the illusion of love, only to be used. Now, I wasn’t searching for happiness—I was searching for justice.
I met Gavion’s gaze. “I’ll do it.”
His lips twitched slightly. “No hesitation?”
I shrugged, feigning indifference. “It’s good business.”
“And revenge?” he mused, leaning forward slightly. “Cause of what Jax had done?”
I didn’t flinch. He was sharp. He knew.
“If that’s what you want to call it.” I tilted my head. “Does that bother you?”
His eyes darkened, his amusement giving way to something more serious. “No,” he said after a pause. “I like a woman who knows what she wants.”
Something flickered between us—acknowledgment, understanding.
My mother sighed, almost in relief. “Then it’s settled.” She smiled, though there was something careful about it. “I just want you to be sure, Lorraine. If you want to back out—”
“I won’t,” I cut in. “I know what I’m doing, Mom. Love is not what I need. It’s revenge. Jax had betrayed me. He needs to feel my revenge.”
Gavion studied me, his gaze searching. Then, with a small smirk, he said, “This should be fun.”
I smiled back, but there was no warmth in it. “Oh, I’m counting on it.”
I told them my plan—the wedding, the humiliation, the final blow to Jax. They listened, saying nothing, then finally the conversation shifted toward wedding plans, logistics, and business. But then, one of our staff entered the room, handing me a folder.
I opened it, my breath catching as I scanned the documents.
Jax had erased evidence—footage of the accident. My stomach twisted as the truth unfolded in front of me. It wasn’t an accident. He had truly orchestrated it.
And worse? The child Tania carried wasn’t Jason’s. It was Jax’s. They had been together all along. A secret affair. A scandal.
I clenched my jaw, the paper crinkling under my tightening grip. They had been playing me this entire time.
A bitter laugh bubbled up in my throat. Tania—the innocent, grieving fiancée—was nothing but a liar. And Jax? A murderer.
I exhaled slowly, steadying myself. This was more than just betrayal. This was war.
I looked up, meeting Gavion’s gaze once more.
“Change of plans,” I murmured, sliding the folder toward him.
He glanced at the papers, his brows raising slightly before his expression hardened.
“Now, this is interesting.” His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it.
I smirked. “Let’s destroy him.”
Later that evening, I returned home. I walked in, pretending I knew nothing, playing my part.
Then I saw her. Tania. Standing in front of the mirror, twirling slightly, the lace of my wedding gown cascading around her.
Jax stood beside her, watching with a soft smile. Something inside me twisted. Not in heartbreak—no, I was far past that—but in pure, simmering rage.
Tania turned, startled to see me. Her face flushed with guilt before she quickly forced a smile. “Lorraine… I—I just wanted to try it on,” she said, her voice hesitant. “I never got the chance when Jason… passed.”
I tilted my head, my lips curving into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “Go ahead. Try it.”
Her eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, I almost laughed.
Then, with mock sweetness, I added, “If you want, you can even have Jax as your groom, too, because you seem like you want him all by yourself.”
The air shifted. Tania’s smile faltered, her face crumbling as tears welled in her eyes.
Jax immediately turned to me, his expression darkening. “Lorraine, what’s wrong with you?” His voice was sharp. “Tania is pregnant. She’s sensitive. You shouldn’t say things like that.”
I scoffed. “Oh, right. Because she’s pregnant.” I folded my arms, my gaze locked onto his. “You know what? Why don’t you just marry her instead? I mean, it sure seems like you two have been hiding something for a long time.”
Jax’s jaw clenched. His eyes flashed with anger. Without warning, his hand struck my face.
