The Day I Was Dumped, I Married A Hidden Tycoon

Alicia Hodge stood outside the marriage registry office in a white wedding gown.

It had been three hours since her fiancé left her standing on the pavement after calling off their marriage certificate at the last minute.

Though she had only spent three months in the Hodge family, she already learned how things worked.

She lowered her gaze slightly, her fingers brushing against the hem of her dress.

So this was their move.

Fine.

She lifted her head and glanced toward the entrance of the registry office.

The requirement was simple. Marriage. No marriage, no inheritance. No inheritance, no place in the company and she’d be sent back to the countryside.

The Hodge family had suddenly found her after 23 years and told her she was next in line to be heir of the family after her grandfather’s.

She didn’t even know the man, but the fact he made such an important decision, she knew she couldn’t let him down.

Furthermore, she was 25 and always dreamed of making it in the big city. If she let this opportunity slip past her fingers, her life would actually amount to nothing.

Her eyes shifted and that was when she noticed him.

A man sat on a bench not too far away.

His hands were folded across his chest, his head resting against the wall as he dozed off.

But what caught her attention wasn’t his face. It was the suit.

Clean. Fitted and very appropriate for the occasion.

A coincidence?

Or the same situation.

Alicia studied him for a moment, then stepped forward.

“Were you screwed over too?”

At the sound of her voice, he slowly opened his eyes and hummed.

“Yes.”

“Same.” She exhaled and took a seat beside him, but she couldn’t help thinking…

A man who came here dressed like that and ended up alone, didn’t that mean…

She turned to him, her eyes lighting up faintly. “Do you need to get married today?”

He looked at her for a second, appearing to think about it for a moment before he answered simply.

“Yes.”

That was enough.

Alicia nodded once, as if confirming something to herself.

“Then let’s get it done.”

…

“This is my card, wife. Call me if you ever need anything.”

“I should be the one saying that, husband.”

An hour later, Alicia stood outside the marriage registry office again.

Only this time, she was exchanging contacts with her husband.

The flashed each other a grateful smile and went their separate ways.

As Alicia walked off to flag down a taxi, an elderly man with sprouting white beards rushed toward the man she had just married.

“Young Master Hayne, the madam was throwing a tantrum, but she’s calmed down now and is ready to get married.”

Derek Hayne slipped both hands into his pockets and began walking forward.

The butler hurried after him, confused. “Sir, should I inform the Solis family we will still be needing their service?”

He didn’t answer and the butler pressed on, assuming he was still proving difficult.

“But sir, your grandparents made it clear they’ll disinherit you if you don’t get married as soon as…”

Derek stopped. Then, for the first time in three hours, he smiled.

It was brief and faint like he was almost amused.

“You’re old, not blind, Kenneth” he said, lifting his hand slightly. “Take a picture.”

The butler blinked.

“Take a picture and send it to them. Let them know I got married an hour ago.” Derek reiterated, his smile faltering into a hardened look.

Meanwhile, the Hodge family house sat in silence.

Andrea Hodge sat across from her granddaughter, who was clinging tightly to a man’s arm with a bright, gentle smile.

“Grandmother,” Olivia Hodge said softly, “Marcus and I didn’t know how to tell you this, but we’ve been in love for a while now. It just didn’t feel right for him to marry someone he doesn’t love so I asked him to call off the wedding.”

“Not only would it be difficult for him, but cousin has lived in the countryside all her life. If he marries her without love, she might think the city is full of cruel men.”

Andrea didn’t interrupt. Her expression remained calm, but her eyes were sharp.

“Your grandfather made it clear,” she said slowly, “that Alicia must be married at twenty-five to claim her inheritance. If you take her fiancé now, she will have to return to the countryside where she will have to wait a few more years.”

It sounded like disapproval, but there was no real resistance in her tone.

Olivia lowered her eyes slightly and Andrea’s lips twitched.

“But I’m just an old woman, who am I to stand in the way of love? Since this is your doing, you will be the one to explain it to your sister.”

Olivia nodded calmly.

She had expected this.

Alicia had spent the past three months learning etiquette, learning how to behave, but none of that would change where she came from.

An unpolished country girl. It wasn’t enough that the family’s bastard was brought in from the countryside, her but her grandfather gave her the most inheritance?

Olivia couldn’t stand that. As the next grandchild of age, the inheritance would naturally come to her once Alicia couldn’t stay and had to return to the countryside. So Olivia planned to make sure that happened.

The door opened at that moment and everyone looked to see Alicia step in.

Her dress was slightly wrinkled and her hair no longer perfect.

Olivia rose to her feet immediately, her expression softening.

“Sister, I’m so sorry. Marcus and I fell in love not long after you brought him here.”

“We wanted to tell you, but it got complicated. Please don’t blame him. If anything, blame me… for making it impossible for you to claim your inheritance.”

Alicia looked at her then at her fiancé who was still seated. They had dated for three years, but he just stood there unbothered.

As the parted her lips to retort, Andrea cleared her throat and deadpanned, “Our Hodge family is already doing a lot letting the daughter of a bastard join the family.”

“Since your cousin and fiancé has fallen in love, there’s nothing anyone can do about it. There’s nothing we can also do about it, as the deadline for getting married in order to claim your inheritance elapsed twenty-three minutes ago.”

“But you still have your grandfather’s blood running in your veins so if you sign a document stating you will never bring up interest in the inheritance again, I will give you some money to return to the countryside.”

As she spoke, she waved her hand at someone who brought in the document and placed it before Alicia.

But Alicia smiled faintly. “You’re so kind, grandmother. But I didn’t want to disappoint you, so I made sure to get married before I left the registry an hour ago.”

Silence fell over the room.