The Billionaire's Forbidden Bride

When the crier didn't call the wedding bells, Elena Hart knew something was wrong.

Since she came to St. Michael's Cathedral they had been playing every five minutes, filling the big hall with beautiful and hopeful music.

There was nothing now.

Only silence.

Elena was leaning against the huge wood doors to the sanctuary, holding a bunch of white roses in her large hand, the stems of which were starting to sting her hand.

By the second, her bridal gown was heavier.

Chloe whispered, "He's coming.

Elena swallowed.

"Of course he is."

She was sure of herself and said it.

Well, at least she attempted to.

Through the narrow opening between the doors, she could see hundreds of guests waiting.

New York's haves and the haves not.

Business partners.

Politicians.

Socialites.

Those who have been gossipers for years about the Hart family, and its shame.

This day was supposed to change that.

If it were today, Elena Hart would get married and become Mrs. Ethan Carter.

And maybe lastly people would stop gazing at her as if she were to blame for her fathers sins.

Her eyes fell on the ring on her finger.

Ethan had left it there three years ago.

Don't listen to anyone criticize your family, I prefer you.

She had believed him.

God, she had believed him.

Any news of him? Chloe asked.

Elena's fist clenched around her bouquet.

"No."

Chloe looked at her cell phone.

"His best man?"

"No."

"His parents?"

"No."

"His driver?"

Slowly she gazed at her, Elena.

"Chloe."

"I'm just asking."

“Well, I tell you, it's all well and good.”

Chloe's face showed her not to be believing her.

Neither did Elena.

A wedding coordinator, her heels thumping nervously on the marble floor, ran to them.

"Miss Hart?"

Elena immediately straightened.

"Yes?"

The smile on the woman's face was forced.

Mr. Carter's vehicle has been put on hold.

"Delayed?"

"Traffic."

Elena's heart sank.

"How long?"

His driver indicated that he should be here soon.

Soon.

That word had been repeated 3 times already.

Elena looked towards the sanctuary.

Guests began to get antsy.

She could hear voices coming through the doors.

"Where's the groom?"

I heard that he was not here.

"This is embarrassing."

"Perhaps the Carter family changed their mind."

Elena's cheeks burned.

She gazed at Chloe.

"Can you call him?"

"I already did."

"And?"

"Voicemail."

Elena stared at her.

"Again."

"Elena—"

"Please."

Chloe sighed, and she dialed.

A few seconds later she put the phone down.

"Still nothing."

Elena's stomach set on fire.Elena's tummy started to freeze.

She retrieved her own cell phone.

Ethan sent 1 message.

Sent 2 hours before.

**I'll see you at the altar. I promise.**

She read it again.

And again.

Soon the doors of the cathedral were open.

Elena's heart leaped.

"Ethan."

So she was flooded with relief that she couldn't help but nearly laugh.

He was here.

Everything was fine.

She stepped forward.

Then stopped.

Ethan wasn't alone.

Elena's smile vanished from her face.

There was a woman standing next to him.

A beautiful woman in an expensive ivory dress.

She had dark hair pulled over one shoulder, and diamonds sparkling around her neck.

Elena recognized the face.

It was a habit she had observed for her entire childhood at the breakfast table.

Her stepsister.

Sophia Hart.

The ivory dress captivated Elena's gaze.

Then at Ethan.

Then returning to Sophia.

"No."

It barely came out of her mouth.

Chloe took hold of her arm.

"Elena..."

Sophia smiled.

Not nervously.

Not apologetically.

Triumphantly.

Then Elena saw their hands.

Sophia's fingers were intertwined with Ethan's.

Her stomach dropped.

The cathedral was suddenly silent.

Ethan came towards the altar.

He didn't look bad.

The first thing Elena saw was that.

He looked innocent and innocent.

It was the second one.

He looked determined.

"Ethan?"

He took his distance, several feet away.

Elena's voice shook.

"What is this?"

His eyes darted around the room.

"Can we talk?"

She almost laughed.

"Here?"

"Elena—"

My stepsister is ahead of 300 people on our wedding day.

Her voice rose.

Where would you like to talk about it?

A throaty gasp came from a member of the audience.

Another person whispered.

A telephone camera came into view.

Then another.

Sophia stepped forward.

“Ethan doesn't have to give you an explanation.”

Elena's eyes focused on her.

No talking, You don't get to speak.

Sophia's smile widened.

"Actually, I do."

Why is it you wear white?

The room was quiet for a while as everyone listened intently to the question.

Sophia checked her dress wondering what she was wearing.

Then she smiled.

“Or, I thought you'd get the idea all on your own.”

Elena's blood ran cold.

She looked at Ethan.

Say that she's in trouble.

Ethan said nothing.

"Tell me."

Still nothing.

Her chest tightened.

"Ethan."

At length, he gazed at her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

Elena stopped breathing.

There it was.

The apology.

The end.

Three year old memories all came rushing back like a series of photographs.

"No."

"I'm sorry, Elena."

"No."

She shook her head.

“That isn't something you're allowed to say.”

I didn't want to hurt you.

"Then don't."

Her voice cracked.

Come here and take my hand, get married to me.

Ethan's jaw tightened.

"I can't."

Some visitors started to gasp.

Elena stared at him.

"Why?"

He turned his attention to Sophia.

That one look shattered any possibility of Elena's hopes.

“She's my girl.” (I’m in love with her.)

The bouquet fell from Elena's hands.

It hit the marble floor.

A rose fell out of the flower arrangement.

Elena stared at it.

For some reason, that hurt more than Ethan's confession.

Slowly she raised her gaze.

"How long?"

Ethan remained silent.

"How long, Ethan?"

Sophia spoke on his behalf.

"Almost a year."

Elena's face became numb.

Almost a year.

She could recall each meal.

Every business trip.

Ethan had kissed her forehead every night, and told her that he was tired.

He had professed his love to her each time.

He had said that she was his only girl he wanted, ever.

All lies.

She gazed at Sophia.

Has he slept with your fiancé?

Sophia's expression hardened.

“Don't be so vulgar.”

It was when you were wearing white to my wedding and I asked you, "Why did you come to my wedding in white?".

Elena went to her.

You stole my fiancé and you're concerned about the word "vulgar"?

"Ethan chose me."

The four words which cut deep as no other.

Ethan chose her.

Not Elena.

Her.

The woman that had shared her childhood with.

The woman that Elena had defended when she was mistreated by their stepmother.

Elena's financial benefactor from when she began her business.

The woman that she had trusted.

Sophia moved closer.

Some people just outgrow one another, you must come to terms with that.

Elena laughed bitterly.

"Outgrow?"

She eyed Ethan.

Did you say that?

Ethan's expression hardened.

"This isn't about humiliating you."

"Then what is it about?"

"I have responsibilities."

Elena glared him.

"What responsibilities?"

“My family, my business, my future.”

Her heart sank.

"Say it."

Ethan hesitated.

Your family isn't influential like it used to be.

Silence.

Elena's eyes widened.

"So that's it."

I guess it is not that easy.

"It is."

She laughed and tears filled her eyes.

It's not that you don't like me, it's because my family is ruined.

"Elena—"

Twenty-five years ago my father was charged with a crime.

She indicated him with her pointing finger.

“And all at once my family isn't good enough for you?”

“Your dad broke down relationships in your family that were built over many generations.”

My dad was railroaded!

Her words flew from her.

It was silent in the cathedral.

Twenty-five years ago, her father was implicated in a disastrous business transaction that brought ruin to the Blackwood family and killed the father and mother of Damien Blackwood.

For years he had been claiming his innocence.

He was disbelieved.

Not the police.

Not the courts.

Not society.

I suppose not Ethan either.

Sophia clapped her hands on her chest.

“Perhaps you should just leave it off you that your family is being victimized.

Elena looked at her.Elena faced her.

You don't know anything about my father.

'I know what everybody knows.

"No."

Elena stepped closer.

You know the payola that people were paid for to believe.

Sophia's smile vanished.

There was a brief moment in which something twinkled in her eyes.

Fear.

Elena noticed.

Ethan stepped between them before she could ask him about it.

"Enough."

Elena stared at him.

"You're defending her?"

I'm trying to prevent this from getting worse.

"Worse?"

She looked around.

Are you familiar with anything worse than this?

Her voice broke.

"Nothing."

There was a flash of lights from a photographer's camera.

Elena flinched.

Then another.

Their humiliation was too much to bear.

She turned away.

"Elena."

She ignored Ethan.

"Elena, wait."

She kept walking.

She had to get out.

She had to breathe.

She had to run away from the hundreds of eyes that were watching her fall apart.

However, before she got to the cathedral's entrance a voice stopped her.

Low.

Calm.

Dangerously controlled.

"You're really going to leave?"

Elena froze.

This wasn't a voice from Ethan.

She slowly turned.

There was a man standing at the door.

But the whole cathedral appeared to know him before she did.

They whispered among themselves.

"Damien Blackwood."

Elena's heart stopped.

No.

It couldn't be.

Damien Blackwood.

The billionaire CEO.

The man who had been hated by her family for two and a half decades.

The founder of Blackwood Group, one of the nation's mightiest corporations.

The man who was said to be able to wreck three opponents in a row.

He walked in the cathedral like the hundreds of gazing guests were not there.

Tall.

Broad-shouldered.

Wearing a well-tailored black suit.

His black hair was combed in a neat style and his cold gray eyes passed over the room, and finally fixed on Elena.

She simply had no choice but to keep her eyes fixed on the object.

In real life Damien Blackwood was even scarier.

He looked at the ring on her finger.

Then to Ethan.

Then Sophia.

There was something that was not to be read in his eyes.

Mr blackwood," Ethan said stiffly.

Damien ignored him.

He moved on towards Elena.

They seemed to make each step quiet the more.

Finally he came to the door of her presence and she had to raise her head to see his face.

She said in a hushed voice, "What are you doing here?

Damien's eyes never left their focus.

“Prevention of error.”

Elena frowned.

"What?"

His gaze flickered towards Ethan.

Then back to her.

"I was about to be taking off from this church thinking that you lost something valuable.

He reached down and picked up the fallen bouquet.

He returned it to her.

Damien came closer.

"You didn't."

Elena stared at him.

His fingers warmed her, and the warmth of his fingers brushed hers.

It was less than a second before.

Her pulse raced, however.

She instinctively withdrew her hand.

You don't know me at all.

"No."

His gaze darkened.

But he is familiar with your family.

Elena's stomach tightened.

If that's the case, then you know I don't need anything from a Blackwood.

"Perhaps."

He didn't make eye contact and his face was blank.

But I can't do it without you.

The whole cathedral was as if it was leaning toward him.

Ethan stepped forward.

If you're thinking of doing something, don't include Elena.

At last he glanced at him.

A slight smile came into his eyes.

There was no heat in it.

"You abandoned her in front of three hundred people."

He was speaking softly.

I don't think you have any right to make any decision about her right now.

Ethan's face reddened.

“None of your business.”

Damien's eyes narrowed.

"You're right."

He went back to Elena.

“It wasn't until 30 seconds ago.”

Elena's heart raced.

"What do you want?"

Damien pulled out a little black card.

He put it in her hands.

Please don't forget to come to my office tomorrow.

She looked at the card.

"Why?"

His next words turned it all upside down.

“Five years I've lived my life demonstrating that my father wasn't the one who brought my family down.”

Elena's fingers went cold.

She lifted her gaze high.

"What did you say?"

Damien stepped closer.

I know where he was framed.

Her breath caught.

Elena has been her father's shadow for 25 years, unable to forget the crime he swears he never committed.

For two decades, she had been wanting proof.

Now, the one man who could have hated her family the most was standing in front of her claiming to know the truth.

Why are you coming to my aid?

Damien's expression changed.

Just slightly.

A darkness came into his eyes.

I don't want to help you.

He looked at Ethan and Sophia.

I'm going to give you a deal.

"What offer?"

Damien gazed straight into her eyes.

"Marry me."

The cathedral went silent.

Elena stared at him.

She was sure that she had not understood what he had said.

"What?"

Damien didn't blink.

Saying "Elena Hart, marry me.

Her chest was pounding in her ribs.

Ethan seemed wowed by him behind his back.

Sophia looked furious.

And Damien Blackwood was definitely sure.

Elena wrapped her fingers around his card.

“You're crazy.”

"Possibly."

His eyes glanced down at her lips then up to her eyes.

"But I'm serious."

"Why me?"

The first time, Damien's face softened.

Only slightly.

“You're the daughter of the one who supposedly ruined my family.”

Elena's anger flared.

But do you want to marry me?

"Exactly."

That doesn't make any sense.

"It will."

He leaned closer.

"Tomorrow. Ten o'clock."

"Damien—"

"Come alone."

He turned away.

Then stopped.

Without looking back, he added:

"And Elena?"

She stared at him.

When the truth about your father..." is what you want.

Damien glanced over his shoulder.

“Don't believe anyone who was at this wedding.”

Elena's blood chilled in her veins.

She slowly took in the cathedral.

Ethan.

Sophia.

Her stepmother.

Family friends.

Business associates.

Friends who had been her companions for years.

Those who had seen her embarrassed.

Who was there for her?

But Elena saw something.

Sophia wasn't paying attention to Damien.

She was looking at the black card that Elena held.

Her stepsister looked truly frightened – for the first time in the morning.

Elena's pulse quickened.

Why?

What did Sophia know?

Damien approached the doors.

Elena watched him as he walked away.

She should have been angry.

It was her job to throw his card away.

She should've gone out there and demanded answers from Ethan.

One thing was always on her mind, though:

How about if Damien is telling the truth?

And if he was...

The fellow who had just given her a contract marriage may be the only one that can save her father's reputation.

The cathedral doors shut as Damien walked away.

Elena gazed at the card once more.

In black ink on its back was written 6 words:

No, your father was not the traitor, Elena.

Her breath caught.

She then flipped the card over.

Under his name there was a second message written.

But one of your family members was.