He Ditched Me for Fake Money, I Married the Real Deal

On our wedding, my boyfriend of five years, Lucas Hunter, is in the middle of sliding the wedding ring onto my finger when a little boy rushes up to him and hugs his leg.

"Daddy, please don't ditch me and Mommy!"

At that moment, his first love, Isabella Welch, walks over and shows the paternity test report in front of all the guests.

"On the night Lucas and I broke up six years ago, I was already pregnant with his child."

Lucas' expression changes drastically. He subconsciously glances at me afterward.

"I didn't know about this, Vivian!"

"Well, you do now," Isabella cuts him off. "By the way, not only am I your son's biological mother, but I'm also the sole daughter of the richest woman in Andaysia."

She then shows Lucas something on her phone. The next moment, his gaze becomes passionate immediately.

"I've given up on my marriage alliance just to seek you out, Lucas. I am the woman you should be marrying instead of that…" Isabella eyes me up and down. "Instead of that regular corporate slave."

Lucas stays silent only for a moment before retracting the ring that has touched my fingertip. Then, he slides it onto Isabella's finger.

I can't believe it. Is this really the man I've loved for the past five years?"

"Have you thought this through, Lucas?"

Lucas leans in to murmur into my ear, "Vivian, once I've secured the major project in the company with Isabella's help and get custody over my son, I'll give you an even grander wedding."

I just chuckle icily in return before leaving the altar without even sparing him a glance. After that, I call Alexander Shaw, an admirer who has loved me for ten years, on the phone.

"Are you busy? If not, come here and marry me."

Then, I turn back to look at the new couple, who are in the middle of making their vows.

Isabelle calls herself the daughter of the richest woman in Andaysia, she says. But how is it possible for me to not know that my mom has swapped me out for another daughter?

I could hear Alexander Shaw's loud laughter from the other end of the line.

"Now? My little princess, don't you think you're taking it a little too far, only informing the groom that you're marrying him on the wedding day itself?"

"Just forget it, then," I said, pretending that I was about to hang up.

"I'll be there!" he said, his tone suddenly becoming serious. "I've been waiting for you for 10 years, Vivian Montero, and you've finally come to your senses now. Wait for me. I'm coming back to the country now."

I sighed in relief. Just after I'd booked the next ceremony slot with the wedding officiator, I suddenly heard familiar voices behind me.

"Vivian."

I looked behind me and saw Lucas Hunter, my fiance, carrying a boy in his arms with Isabella Welch's hand looped around his arm. The boy was Isabella's son, Toby Hunter. They looked like the picture-perfect family of three, and it was too piercing to my eyes.

"What are you still doing here?" he asked, coming up to me in a low, interrogating voice. He didn't sound pleased. "Didn't I tell you to go home first?"

"I'm waiting for the groom," I answered truthfully.

"Waiting for the groom?"

Lucas frowned. "Vivian, don't do something stupid just because you're mad about the things that happened today. I've already explained everything to you. This is just a temporary arrangement."

"Okay," I said, with a nod of my head. "I get it."

He nodded in understanding. "You've always been understanding and sensible. Isabella is our company's most vital business partner. She also gave birth to a son for me. I need to appease them first.

"But you have to believe me when I say that you're the only one in my heart."

I smirked sarcastically at him.

"You believed her just because she told you that she was the only daughter of the richest woman? But what if I told you that I was, too? Would you believe me, then?"

Lucas widened his eyes.

"Stop joking around. You drank so much alcohol in my place during those social events to secure that order that you even had an internal hemorrhage. How could a rich heiress ever do that for anyone?

"Also, I've already seen photos of Isabella with Mrs. Montero in the same frame. I know that she's for real."

I couldn't even recognize him anymore because of the undisguised greed in his eyes.

I hated that people who used to tell me they loved me were only after my status and wealth. So, I thought of hiding my family background and starting up the company from scratch with Lucas.

But now, it seemed like there was no need for me to reveal my true identity to him anymore.

I chuckled sarcastically.

When Lucas saw that I was chuckling, his tense features visibly relaxed.

"I knew that you would understand. You can go back now. I want you to make steak for dinner."

I shook my head and said softly, "I've already told you that I'm waiting for the groom."

"Are you going to continue causing trouble like this?" Lucas asked darkly.

"What are you all whispering about behind my back?" Isabella shouted loudly at us before glaring hatefully at me. "If I were you, I'd get lost as quickly as I can! Don't you find it shameful that you got broken up with on the day of your own wedding, Vivian?

"I'm telling you that we're married now! And we have a kid together! You'd better stay away if you know what's good for you and stop being such a disgusting homewrecker!"

"Married?" I asked, cocking my eyebrow at her. "You mean you've registered your marriage already? Oh, but you're not even wearing a wedding dress. Who's really the homewrecker here?"

"We've exchanged rings! This is a wedding!" she screamed loudly in retort.

I looked at the ring she had forced onto her finger and said, "I was the one who chose that ring, and it was made in my size. Don't you think that it's a little too tight for your finger?"

Isabella was so mad that she wouldn't stop shaking all over. She looked at Lucas and said, "Darling, are you just going to stand and watch someone else bully me like this?

"I initially thought of waiting for Mom to return before bringing you to meet her and discuss more about our collaboration. But now…"

Lucas immediately shielded her behind him and glared angrily at me.

"Vivian! You should never have attacked her, even if it was just out of jealousy! Apologize to Isabella at once! Otherwise, you can pack up your things and leave the company!"

"Okay," I said, with a firm nod of my head. "Go ahead and fire me."

In his eyes, this job was my entire livelihood. However, I was the sole heiress to the richest family in the country of Andaysia. If it weren't because I loved him, I'd have left a long time ago.

Lucas was obviously stunned. However, he burst out laughing later on.

"Is this a strategic retreat? You really are something, Vivian, pulling such dirty tricks like that!"

Toby suddenly screamed at me. "Go away! You always steal Daddy from me and Mommy. I hate you!"

The other wedding guests who were just leaving happened to overhear his words, and they turned to look at me in pure disdain and disgust.

"Didn't she immediately attach herself to Lucas as soon as Isabella left last time? I knew that there was something fishy about it the whole time!"

"She's just a nobody with no family background, yet she managed to get to this position in just five years. What else could it be other than her sleeping her way to the top?"

"Wow, I never knew how brazen mistresses could get lately. How could they just bully the wife and child in public?"

I endured the excruciating pain and straightened up, looking at Toby.

"Then, you can have your daddy. Your daddy and I have absolutely nothing to do with each other anymore."

My gaze then swept over Lucas, whose face was ashen.

"I wish you both a long and happy marriage."