I KISSED MY FIANCÉS BILLIONAIRE BROTHER

The screen behind the altar flickered.

At first, nobody noticed.

The violinists continued playing softly, their melody drifting through the grand ballroom of the Ashford Hotel.

Hundreds of guests watched the giant projection screen with warm smiles. Baby pictures flashed one after another across the massive screen mounted behind the priest.

A tiny Amelia Carter wrapped in pink blankets.

Amelia at sixteen, laughing beside the ocean with the wind tangling through her hair.

Amelia and Adrian during their engagement shoot, his lips pressed against her forehead while golden sunlight poured over them like a blessing.

The guests sighed dreamily at every transition.

Someone in the front row whispered, “They look perfect together.”

Amelia smiled automatically, though the muscles in her face ached from holding the expression too long.

Perfect.

That word again.

Her fingers tightened around the bouquet of white roses in her hands as her gaze drifted across the crowd absentmindedly. Her younger sister, Sofia, was nowhere in sight.

Strange.

Sofia had been glued to her all morning, fussing over her veil and crying dramatically during makeup touch-ups.

Amelia frowned slightly, scanning the ballroom again, but before she could think deeper into it, the screen glitched once more.

A harsh burst of static crackled through the speakers.

The wedding coordinator stiffened near the back of the hall as the image disappeared briefly before another video suddenly began to play.

The ballroom quieted.

Amelia’s smile slowly faded.

The angle was dark and shaky, like someone had filmed it secretly on a phone. Inside the screen was a black luxury SUV parked somewhere unfamiliar. A man sat in the backseat.

Even before his face became visible, Amelia knew who it was.

Her stomach dropped violently.

Adrian.

Her fiancé.

The bouquet nearly slipped from her fingers as she watched him pull someone onto his lap. His mouth crashed against hers hungrily, one hand tangled in her hair while the other disappeared beneath the thin fabric of her dress.

The woman laughed breathlessly against his lips.

Then she turned slightly.

The entire ballroom gasped.

Sofia.

Amelia’s younger sister.

For one horrifying second, nobody moved. Nobody breathed. The only sound in the room was the distorted audio from the video still playing overhead.

“Oh my God…”

“Is that her sister?”

“No way…”

The whispers spread quickly through the ballroom, but Amelia barely heard them anymore. Everything around her suddenly sounded distant, muffled beneath the violent pounding of her heartbeat.

On the screen, Adrian kissed Sofia again like he loved her.

Like Amelia had never even existed.

The bouquet slipped from her numb fingers, white roses scattering across the marble floor.

“Amelia—”

Adrian’s panicked voice finally cut through the silence.

She looked at him slowly. Actually looked at him.

His face had gone pale, every trace of confidence stripped away. Beside the bridesmaids, Sofia stood frozen in place, mascara-stained eyes wide with fear. Not guilt. Not shame. Just fear of finally being caught.

Something inside Amelia cracked quietly, like glass finally giving up under pressure.

“Baby, I can explain,” Adrian said quickly, stepping toward her.

The giant screen behind him still displayed the paused image of his hand gripping Sofia’s waist.

Explain?

Amelia almost laughed.

Instead, she bent calmly and removed the engagement ring from her finger.

The crowd collectively inhaled.

Adrian’s face drained of color completely.

“Amelia, don’t do this here,” he hissed under his breath, panic replacing affection. “We’ll talk privately.”

Privately.

Of course.

So he could lie properly.

Her eyes shifted toward Sofia, but her sister still couldn’t meet her gaze. Somehow, that hurt even more than the video itself.

Amelia swallowed hard before walking toward the altar table and placing the ring beside the priest’s bible. The diamond sparkled mockingly beneath the chandelier lights.

Without saying a single word, she turned and walked away.

“Amelia!”

She ignored Adrian completely.

Ignored the whispers rising louder behind her.

Ignored the dozens of phones already lifting into the air.

The massive ballroom doors opened as she pushed through them, cool night air slamming against her skin instantly. Her chest burned violently, her vision blurring slightly, but she refused to cry.

Not here.

Never here.

Footsteps echoed behind her.

Too many footsteps.

Adrian.

Her father.

The wedding guests.

Probably Sofia too.

Amelia kept walking down the grand staircase outside the hotel until she spotted a waiter carrying champagne nearby. Without thinking, she grabbed a glass.

Then another.

The alcohol burned beautifully down her throat.

“Amelia, stop walking away from me!” Adrian snapped from behind.

She laughed softly then.

Actually laughed.

Because now he wanted her attention?

Now?

The sharp sound of tires rolling over pavement suddenly cut through the chaos. A long black limousine pulled up directly in front of the hotel entrance, and instantly, the atmosphere shifted.

The security guards near the entrance straightened subtly.

Conversations died.

Even Adrian stopped talking.

The back door of the limousine opened slowly.

Polished black shoes touched the pavement first before the man finally stepped out.

Tall. Broad-shouldered. Dressed in an immaculate black suit that probably cost more than most people’s salaries.

The city lights caught the silver watch around his wrist briefly as he adjusted his cufflinks calmly.

Power radiated from him so naturally it was almost violent.

Amelia didn’t know who he was, but judging from the sudden silence around her, everyone else clearly did.

The stranger lifted his gaze.

For one impossible second, it felt like the entire world narrowed into those eyes.

Cold.

Sharp.

Unreadable.

Yet something about them tugged painfully at her memory.

Amelia didn’t think.

If she thought too hard, she would break apart right there in front of everyone.

So instead, she walked straight toward him.

Gasps erupted behind her.

The stranger’s brows lifted slightly as she stopped in front of him, her fingers tightening against the front of his suit before she pulled him downward suddenly—

And kissed him.

Someone screamed.

Camera flashes burst wildly around them.

But the stranger didn’t push her away.

Didn’t even look surprised.

One large hand slid slowly around her waist instead, steadying her like he had every right to touch her. Amelia’s breath caught at the contact.

The kiss lasted only seconds.

Yet somehow, it felt dangerous enough to ruin lives.

When she finally pulled away, the stranger stared down at her silently. His gaze flicked briefly toward the horrified crowd behind her before returning to her face.

Then, slowly, the corner of his mouth lifted.

“Interesting choice of revenge, sweetheart,” he murmured.