Novels by Rutheverlywrites

POV: AUDREY The heavy oak doors of the cathedral swung open, and I stepped out onto the red carpet in front of three hundred jaw-dropped guests. The organ music swelled, but the room was suffocated by low, panicked whispers.Carter’s spot at the altar stood empty. His groomsmen looked like they wanted to sink through the floorboards.My father walked beside me, his hands trembling with rage. "Audrey, what are we doing? Where is Carter? We need to cancel this before the press..""Walk, Dad," I whispered, keeping my head held high, my eyes fixed straight ahead. "Just walk me to the altar."As we reached the front of the church, the side entrance near the altar clicked open.The room went dead silent.A tall, commanding figure stepped out of the shadows, wearing a charcoal-black, bespoke Tom Ford tuxedo with a dark crimson rose pinned to his lapel. His dark hair was immaculately styled, his jawline razor-sharp, and his jet-black eyes locked directly onto mine with absolute, unyielding

POV: AUDREY The morning sun filtered through the stained-glass windows of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, casting brilliant pools of ruby and sapphire light across my veil. Outside, Fifth Avenue was choked with news vans, paparazzi, and hundreds of onlookers gathered to watch the wedding of the decade.My mother was putting the finishing touches on my train, her eyes glistening with rare pride. "You look magnificent, Audrey. Manhattan won't stop talking about this day for years.""No," I whispered, staring at my reflection in the full-length mirror. "They certainly won't."A sudden, sharp knock at the bridal suite door shattered the silence. Julianna hurried over and cracked it open. Carter stood in the hallway, looking immaculate in his bespoke tuxedo, though his jaw was set tight and his phone was gripped white-knuckled in his right hand."Out," Carter ordered my mother and Julianna, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I need five minutes alone with my bride."My mother frowned, but g

POV: AUDREY The wind on the Peninsula Hotel rooftop was biting, sweeping across the Manhattan skyline like a cold razor. I wrapped my cashmere coat tighter around my shoulders, my heels clicking sharply against the polished stone as I walked toward the private glass cabana overlooking Fifth Avenue.Xavier was already there.He was leaning against the glass railing, a lighted cigar resting between his fingers, smoke curling up into the midnight air. He didn't turn around as I approached, but I knew he heard me."You're three minutes late, Audrey," Xavier said, his voice deep and calm, easily cutting through the city noise below. "I was beginning to think Carter managed to leash you after all.""Carter doesn't leash me," I replied, stopping a few feet away. "And I didn't come here to trade insults, Xavier. Why did you send me that photograph?"Xavier took a slow drag from his cigar, the ember glowing bright orange in the dark, before turning around to face me. The golden city light cau

POV : AUDREY I spent the next three weeks pretending the photo at the St. Regis gala was a minor media blip.When reporters cornered me at Vogue’s spring preview, I laughed and called it a business misunderstanding. When my mother asked if the wedding was still on, I gave her a calm, rehearsed smile and reassured her that the Bridgerton-Cross merger was stronger than ever.I told everyone what they wanted to hear. But deep down, I was counting the red flags like landmines."You're paying more attention to that iPad than your bride, Carter."My mother’s voice broke through the silence of the private bridal suite at Bergdorf Goodman. I stood on the raised wooden pedestal in a hand-stitched Vera Wang gown, the train trailing ten feet behind me like a silver waterfall.Carter was slumped on the velvet couch across from me, his eyes glued to his phone screen, thumb scrolling rapidly."I’m monitoring the European market, Eleanor," Carter said without looking up. "Belmont Logistics just ope

POV: AUDREY "If you step out of this VIP lounge to meet her, Carter, don’t bother coming back to the altar in thirty days."I didn’t raise my voice. I didn’t need to. My tone was smooth as polished marble, cutting effortlessly through the low, ambient chatter filtering through the heavy oak doors of the Manhattan St. Regis ballroom. Outside, three hundred of New York’s most influential elite were sipping vintage champagne. Inside, my world was quietly cracking at the seams.Carter Cross adjusted the platinum cufflinks on his custom Tom Ford suit, a smirk tugging at the edge of his immaculate jawline. He didn't even look at me. He was looking at his own reflection in the gold-rimmed mirror above the velvet lounge sofa."Don’t be dramatic, Audrey," Carter said, his voice dripping with that effortless authority he loved to perform. "It’s Chloe Belmont. Her father controls sixty percent of the deep-water logistics infrastructure I need for the European expansion. I’m giving her ten minut