3. He Wasn't Worth It

Stephanie:

My brain completely shut down, and my eyes raked through the man’s face once again. “Your what?”

He stretched tall before me, giving me a chance to see the displeased expression on his face. My flight mode was activated the more the footsteps drew closer.

I didn’t want to be present when my family and everyone else arrived, nor did I want to see the officiant’s face at that moment. And I’d rather be anywhere than watch my father and stepmom argue about how all this was my fault.

The man before me cleared his throat and squared me with a look that demanded an explanation for what was going on. I had nothing to tell him. Yes, I had indeed locked his brother in there, and that was because Cole deserved at least a bit of the humiliation I had faced today. Yes again, I had invaded his personal space and kissed him, and I was really sorry about that.

“Cole’s bride?” He seemed to finally realize who I was when his eyes dragged through the white dress I was wearing. “You’re Stephanie?” His tone was cold.

I wasn’t sure how he knew my name when I had never in my life met him. All I knew about him was through rumors, and honestly that was the least of my problems at the moment.

“Stephanie, what the devil is going on here?” My father’s voice called out to me from behind, and my spine stretched immediately as I slowly turned to meet his gaze.

Grace was with him. The officiant too, along with faces I couldn’t recognize. And Sloane was behind them, wearing a look that stretched between worry and anger.

“Stephanie, open this door!” Cole’s voice followed, and it all but took everyone’s gaze to dart over to the door.

Grace stepped forward to the door; she spared me a harsh look, and I was immediately knocked back to reality.

Why was I even ashamed? I had no idea.

Subconsciously, I took a step back, but my body rammed into the firm one behind me. I staggered away, avoiding the look directed at me.

Grace successfully opened the door, and everyone gasped at the sight of the half-naked Anna and Cole in the room. No more words were needed. The situation couldn’t be clearer than that.

My stepmother rushed inside to hug her daughter, and I watched as Anna broke into a pretentious sob in Grace’s arms, weeping about how I slapped her and humiliated her. Her words became distant to my ears as I took another step back, wanting to be anywhere but here.

“Mom, I swear it wasn’t our fault. It just happened.” Anna’s tearful sob filled the whole space. My father sighed and then turned to meet me with a blank look. I wasn't sure what that meant, but I didn't want to stay longer to know.

I didn’t want to be around all these people who only saw themselves. It was suffocating, but then it dawned on me how much I had been pushed aside all my life. Then everything made a little bit of sense in the most ridiculous way.

Father said something. Grace whined about how heartless I was to humiliate Anna this way despite the small mistake she made. Someone else said something, and a commotion erupted right there about how Anna wouldn't be able to face the crowd downstairs.

“There’s only one way to put all these wrongs to right.” Dad cleared his throat and suggested the officiant tie them together in order to avoid what would come of the family’s name if word spread about all this. It didn't surprise me how eager he was to have one of his daughters marry into Cole’s family. He didn’t care which of us.

It could be any. And Anna just made things easier.

Just like that, I was pulled into the background of a day that was supposed to be mine.

My throat tightened, and I bit my lips so hard that I tasted blood. Without another word, I turned around, gathered my gown, and sprinted down the hallway.

I heard footsteps behind me, but I didn’t dare stop to look. My only goal was to make it to the elevator before I collapsed.

My chest heaved as I stumbled inside, pressing the close button over and over with shaky fingers.

Just when they were about to close in, a hand wedged through the gap and forced them open again.

I looked up, expecting it to be Sloane, because out of all the people who were standing there, she was really the only one that cared about me.

Who I didn't expect at all to see was Cole’s brother standing right in front of the elevator.

I stood straighter and stared down at my pair of white heels that suddenly looked very shiny at the moment. He didn't say anything as he stepped inside the place, and the elevator doors shut close, leaving just two of us inside.

The silence was awkward and not comfortable in the slightest.

My gaze shifted to the numbers as my lips itched to say something. He didn't move an inch from where he stood, while I kept on shifting from one foot to the other. His presence was intoxicating and overwhelming.

Another moment passed, and from the walls of the elevator I could see how beautifully smudged my makeup was. The silence dug into my skin because I could feel a heavy gaze settle on me, but I didn't dare look up.

“Why did you follow me?” The words were out of my lips before I could swallow them.

He didn't answer immediately, and I forced myself to look him up. When I saw the blank expression on his face, I regretted looking up.

Despite his eyes staring down at me, there was not a change of expression in his face, like he didn't even hear my question.

The elevator number counted twenty-three, and I slowly puffed a breath out, counting down with it.

“Why would I follow you?” He finally answered, throwing my question back to me. I pressed my lips together, slowly realizing how stupid indeed my question had been. He had no reason to follow me; we didn't even know each other.

But instead of keeping shut, I pushed further. “Because you were worried?”

I cast a glance his way and finally noticed a shift in his expression. He didn't answer my question again; instead, he asked, “I am?”

I threw a dumbfounded look at him. There was clearly no use continuing the conversation. He wasn’t here for me, and he couldn't have made it any clearer.

“You don't know how to answer questions without asking yours in return?” I asked a little while later, hooking a finger under the arm of my glasses to readjust them behind my ear.

“I do. Your questions are just absurd,” his harsh tone cut deep into my chest, rendering me mute.

18… 17…

I pressed my body close to the edge of the wall, making sure to keep some distance between us. His eyes flicked over to me, and his brows pulled into a frown. “I don’t bite,” he said slowly, sounding annoyed.

“Liar.” I mumbled to myself as I recalled how he bit down on my lips earlier.

A slow smile pulled on the corner of his mouth, but it was gone just as fast as it came.

I wiped my hands on my face, unable to use my dress because it was too white and it would be a shame if I damaged it.

There was a movement from my peripheral, and I froze as he slipped a folded handkerchief into my hand.

I blinked, staring down at the clean white fabric, then at him. “What—?”

“You need it,” he said simply. I swallowed, surprised enough to actually take it. I unfolded it and turned toward the elevator mirror. Mascara streaked down my cheeks, and lipstick smudged at the corner of my mouth. A deep sigh escaped my lips, and I dabbed gently.

“Cole wasn’t worth it.” He suddenly said, his voice coming low, deep enough to send a slow hum against my skin.

The handkerchief stilled against my cheek, and my eyes met his eyes in the reflection, startled.

“Isn’t he your brother?”

“Yes,” he said without hesitation.

“You don’t sound very loyal to your family.”

His brows pulled to a frown like there was no logic in my words, “I don’t hand out loyalty where it isn’t earned.” Then he added, “Blood doesn’t change that.”

I lowered the handkerchief. “That’s a very cold way of looking at family.”

“It’s the only way I know how to look at mine.”

Everything else forgotten, my back leaned against the wall. “So you two don’t get along?”

“That’s one way to put it.”

I raised a brow. “And the other way?”

His lips twitched, and he stared down at me. “The other way involves language you probably don’t want to hear right now.”

I chuckled softly, pressing the fabric to the corner of my eye again. “You don’t come across to me as the polite type anyway.”

His response was a short “Mn.”

My eyes flicked to the number, and I suddenly prayed it counted slower.

“Do you always answer questions with questions, or is it just me?”

His mouth tilted again. “Just you.”

The way he said it made something flutter in my chest.

I pressed my lips tightly. “You didn’t have to follow me,” I said after a moment.

“I didn’t,” he replied. “I chose to.”

“Is it because I kissed you?” He went completely still at my question.

And that was enough to answer.

“Look, I'm really sorry about that. I just had a moment of spite in me, and though this might not make sense, I did it to make myself feel better. Cole might have been an asshole and treated me like shit, but stepping out of that door made me realize there were more charming men out there, and crying over just one fish in the sea makes no sense when the ocean is full of, you know, fish…” My words trailed as I realized I had spoken too much.

My lips pressed shut, and I stole a glance at him, expecting him to spare me a dumb look. But he didn’t give me any of that.

A low sound rumbled in his chest, cut short before it could turn into laughter. “You think I'm charming?” He suddenly asked, catching me off guard.

I stared at him, dumbfounded. “Was that the only line you got from what I said?”

He didn't say anything, simply stared at me.

I let out a breath, then sighed, “I'm just sorry, okay?”

“Don’t,” he said.

I shook my head. “This is officially the worst day of my life.”

“Could’ve been worse.”

I looked at him. “How?”

“You could’ve married Cole.”

Ding. The elevator doors slid open, and his tall presence brushed past me as he stepped outside.

I had nothing else to say as I watched him leave, but then I suddenly remembered that I didn't even know his name. “Wait!” He stopped walking and turned to me, his dark brown eyes staring deep at me. “I've only heard about you once or twice. What’s your name?”

His brows pulled into the most displeased scowl I had ever seen in my entire life. “Zane.”

“Zane,” The name rolled off my tongue. “Thank you.” My fingers brushed the back of my neck. “Talking to you made me feel lighter.”

The corners of his eyes twitched slightly, and if I had blinked, I would have missed the look of surprise in his face. He nodded slowly, and without another word, he walked away.

A breath escaped my lips as I waited for a long minute, rubbing my arms. Just as soon as I was about to step out, my eyes picked up the flash of something black on the floor where Zane had been standing.

I frowned and squatted to pick up the rectangular matte black card, and my frown deepened as I read the initial Z.D. Wright inscribed on the surface.

“Zane,” I whispered, and without thinking I spun on my heels and jogged down the hall, searching for him.

My gaze traveled around the reception, and that was when I saw him stepping out of the hotel glass doors.

Right before I could rush over, a trolley stacked with glasses and plates rammed into me, sending me to the floor.