The Billionaire’s Discarded Bride

Nadine’s POV

​"You will put on that dress tomorrow, Nadine, and you will walk down that aisle without saying a single word," my father said, his voice echoing in the cold study while he stared at me from behind his large desk.

​"I am not a piece of property you can just hand over to save your failing company, Dad," I retorted, my hands trembling as I gripped the edge of the table, looking between him and my mother who sat quietly on the sofa. "Adrian Kingsley thinks he is marrying Nadira, and the moment he sees me, he will know you lied to him."

​"We do not have a choice in this matter," my mother interrupted, her voice lacking any form of warmth while she adjusted her watch, "The Kingsley family is the only reason the Ivory Group is still standing, and if they find out Nadira backed out, they will ruin us before the week ends."

​"Then let Nadira marry him herself, since she was the one who agreed to the arrangement in the first place," I argued, stepping closer to them because I needed them to understand how insane this plan was, "Why do I have to be the one to pay for her sudden change of heart?"

​"Because your sister has a bright future ahead of her, Nadine, and she cannot be tied down to a man like Adrian when she has so much potential," my father barked, slamming his hand down on the surface of the desk so hard that the pens rattled, "You have never contributed anything of value to this family, so the least you can do is ensure our survival."

​"So my life means absolutely nothing to you," I muttered, a bitter laugh escaping my lips as I took a step back, finally seeing the truth in their eyes.

​"Do not be dramatic, Nadine," my mother said, standing up and smoothing down her skirt, "You are marrying a billionaire, which is far more than someone like you could ever achieve on your own, so stop acting like we are sending you to your death."

​I did not bother responding to her because I knew my words would fall on deaf ears, so I turned around and walked out of the room, heading straight toward the stairs. As I passed Nadira’s bedroom, the door opened slightly, and she peaked out with a look that was a mix of guilt and relief.

​"Nadine, I am really sorry about this," Nadira whispered, catching my arm before I could walk past her, "But Adrian is terrifying, and I heard rumors about how ruthless he is in business and in his personal life, so I just couldn't bring myself to do it."

​"If he is so terrifying, why are you letting your sister take your place, Nadira?" I asked, pulling my arm away from her grip while looking down at her, "You wanted the luxury that came with the Kingsley name, but the moment things got real, you ran away and threw me to the wolves."

​"That is not fair, Nadine, because Mom and Dad said you would be a better fit anyway," she said, her voice turning defensive as she stepped back into her room, "You are quiet, and you always do what you are told, so Adrian probably won't even notice the difference after a while."

​"He will notice, Nadira, and when he does, I will be the one facing his anger, not you," I said, turning away from her because looking at her perfect, protected face was making me sick.

​I hurried to my bedroom and locked the door behind me, my heart hammering against my ribs while I grabbed a small duffel bag from the closet. I packed a few clothes, my passport, and whatever cash I had saved up over the months, knowing that if I did not leave tonight, I would never get another chance to escape this nightmare.

​Around midnight, when the entire house was completely silent, I slipped out of my room and crept down the back staircase, holding my breath with every step I took. I managed to unlock the kitchen door without making a sound, but the moment I stepped out onto the paved driveway, the bright floodlights suddenly flickered on, blinding me completely.

​"Going somewhere, Nadine?" my father’s voice boomed through the darkness, and as my eyes adjusted, I saw him standing there alongside two of our family security guards.

​"Let me go, Dad," I begged, clutching my bag tightly to my chest while the guards closed the distance between us, "I cannot do this, and I will not let you ruin my life just to save your reputation."

​"You are not going anywhere," he said, stepping forward and ripping the duffel bag out of my hands before throwing it to the ground, "You selfish little brat, after everything we have done for you, you try to run away and destroy this family?"

​"You never did anything for me!" I screamed, the tears finally spilling over my cheeks, "You only care about Nadira, and you always have!"

​Before I could say another word, his hand flew across my face, the sharp impact sending me stumbling backward onto the hard ground while my cheek burned with intense pain.

​"You owe this family for raising you, and you will fulfill your duty tomorrow whether you like it or not," my father hissed, looking down at me with pure disgust as he nodded to the guards.

​They grabbed my arms and dragged me back inside the house, ignoring my cries and struggles as they forced me up the stairs and threw me into my bedroom. My mother was already standing inside the room, looking at me with a cold, detached expression that hurt far more than my father's physical blow.

​"Your sister's future matters more than your stubborn pride, Nadine, so it is time you accept reality," my mother said softly, her voice completely devoid of any maternal comfort as she walked toward the exit.

​"How can you do this to your own daughter?" I sobbed from the floor, looking up at her as she reached for the doorknob.

​"You will thank us in the future, Nadine, but for now, you need to rest," she replied, stepping out into the hallway and closing the door behind her.

​The sharp sound of the key turning in the lock echoed through the quiet room, sealing my fate and leaving me trapped in the darkness. I dragged myself off the floor and sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the wall for hours until the early morning light began to filter through the window.

​A few hours later, the lock clicked again, and my mother walked back into the room, followed closely by three salon staff members who were carrying a massive, heavy garment bag.

​"Get up and wash your face, Nadine, the stylists are here to get you ready," my mother ordered, gesturing for the servants to hang the bag on the closet door.

​One of the women zipped open the long bag, revealing a stunning, intricate white wedding gown that was tailor-made for my sister, and as they laid it out across the bed, the reality of my situation finally settled heavily in my chest.

​Today, I would walk down the aisle and marry Adrian Kingsley, a powerful billionaire who did not even know my name, and who would soon realize that the woman standing beside him was a complete stranger.