“What? Bride?” Xander wrinkled his brow. “What are you talking about, Blair? There is no other bride. It’s always been you. I’m just busy right now… things are complicated. I can’t focus on a wedding until everything is sorted.”
I stared at him, the calm façade I held barely masking the storm inside me. “Stop,” I said, shaking my head. “Stop with your shit already,” I snapped. “I know everything, Xander. You think I don’t know Italian? You really thought you could stand there and talk about marrying Elise Reid to save your company while I was in the room?”
His face fell. “Blair, I—”
“No,” I interrupted, anger rising as I remembered. “You and your friends. All those times you laughed at me. You made me a joke, thinking I wouldn’t understand.” My fists clenched as the words poured out. “But I understood it all, Xander. Every single word.”
He froze, his mouth opening and closing as if he were searching for the right thing to say. “Blair, wait, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to happen this way. I… I had no choice.”
“No choice?” I asked.
Xander exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “I have to marry Elise,” he admitted, his tone almost pleading. “It’s for the family. If I don’t, the company will collapse. Do you understand what that means? Winfield Insurance is the number one healthcare insurance company in America. If I can’t save it—if I can’t fix this—everything will be gone. The business, my father’s legacy… everything.”
I folded my arms, refusing to let him see the crack forming in my resolve. “So, that’s it? You just marry her, and I’m supposed to wait on the sidelines?”
“It’s not like that,” he said quickly. “It’s not serious. It’s just… an arrangement. Blair, I still love you. You don’t understand the pressure I’m under.”
I took a deep breath, forcing my emotions to the side. “What if I could help you?”
He blinked, surprised by my words. Then, to my disgust, he laughed.
“Help me?” he asked. “Blair, this isn’t a game. Do you even understand the scale of this problem? This isn’t something you can fix. You don’t have the money. You don’t have anything.”
The words hit me like a slap, but I refused to let him see how much they hurt. I sighed, shrugged, and forced a cold smile. “Fine, Xander. Do your business.”
I turned and walked away, leaving him standing there.
The bar was dimly lit, the hum of low conversation mixing with the clink of glasses. I sat in the corner, nursing a drink and trying to drown the ache in my chest.
How had I let this happen? How had I spent so many years with someone so blind, so selfish?
I swirled the liquid in my glass, the ice cubes clinking softly. All I could think about was the betrayal, the lies, the man I’d wasted so much of myself on. Then my phone buzzed.
I picked it up, expecting nothing more than a message or spam call. But what I saw made my grip tighten around the glass.
A wedding invitation.
From Elise Reid.
I opened it, my stomach twisting as I read the elegant script. The wedding was formal, grand, dripping with all the luxury her family could afford. And she had sent this to me directly.
We had all gone to the same high school, years ago. Elise had always wanted Xander. But he had chosen me back then. And Elise was furious because she lost to someone like me, a no one as they weren't aware of my real identity since.
Now, she was rubbing it in my face. She had finally gotten her chance to take him from me, and she wanted me to see it firsthand.
My chest burned with anger. If they think they can just get away with what they have done, well, I’ll make sure to ruin their wedding.
I purposely arrived at their wedding, late, and surely getting the attention of everyone as I stepped inside.
“Is that a wedding gown?” someone whispered.
“It can’t be,” another murmured.
“Wait… look at her neck! That’s the Cartier gold necklace!”
“The limited-edition one? There were only three made!”
“The last time it was seen, the Lady of the Gallo Clan was wearing it. Who is she?”
“Sorry I’m late,” I said smoothly as I reached the front where Elise and Xander stood. I tilted my head slightly, meeting Elise’s glare with a faint smile. “I wouldn’t miss your big day for the world. Wishing you both well.”
Elise’s nostrils flared as she forced a smile. “You’re wearing white,” she said, her voice low and cutting. “Only the bride wears white. Surely you know that?”
“Oh,” I said, glancing down at my gown with a feigned look of surprise. “I didn’t mean to. But white is such a lovely color, don’t you think?”
“Lovely or not,” she snapped, “you’re out of place. Where did you even get that gown? Or that necklace?”
Her tone shifted, louder now, meant for everyone to hear. “Let me guess—a fake? Or did you take out a loan to pull this little stunt?”
A few chuckles broke out from the crowd, her insult hitting its mark. I smiled, calm and unbothered.
“You don’t know, do you?” I began. “I am the daughter of the Gal—”
The loud bang of a gunshot cut me off.
The crowd froze. The laughter stopped.
The room erupted into chaos. Guests screamed and scrambled toward the exits, their heels clicking frantically against the marble floors. Xander grabbed Elise by the arm, pulling her toward the hallway. And he left? That's it!
What an asshole. With not much choice, I followed the crowd.
The hallway was a mess. Bodyguards lay lifeless on the floor, blood pooling around them. Screams echoed as more people ran, trying to escape the scene.
I quickened my pace, the chaos making it hard to focus. Then came another explosion—a deafening blast that shook the building and sent debris flying.
I stumbled but managed to steady myself, coughing through the dust. The hallway ahead was blocked by rubble, forcing me to turn back.
Gunfire erupted again, closer this time.
I moved cautiously, drawn by a mix of fear and curiosity. A partially open door caught my attention, and I peeked inside.
A tattooed man in a hoodie stood in the center of the room, a gun in his hand. The faint scent of gunpowder lingered in the air.
On the floor was Alexus Winfield, Xander’s father and CEO of Alliance Insurance Company. Blood seeped from his chest, staining the expensive carpet.
My breath hitched, and I heard footsteps from behind.
When I slowly turned around, what I saw made my heart stop beating.
