Chapter 1 - Wedding Vows

“Kate Delaney, do you take Bryan West to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love, honor and cherish from this day forward.”

“No…I don’t.”

The room went dead silent for what felt like a second. Bryan’s face dropped instantly.

Rising murmurs and waves of whispers could be heard spreading down the rows as the guests turned to each other wide eyed. 

“Baby…are you nervous, just take a deep breaths, everything would be alright.” Bryan tried to assure her.

The pastor stared at the both of them in utter confusion. “Kate, do you want me to go over the question again?” 

A brief pause in silence as the crowd await the next decision.

“No, I heard you clearly and I have given my decision.”

“Baby we can talk this through,” he said holding her shoulders tightly. “We can go out and start the ceremony afresh, are the decorations not up to your expectations, I’d bring in new top A designers to redo them.” He said as panic spread across his face.

“I already made my decision.” She responded adamantly while staring at him from the veil.

Bryan stood as if the walls were closing in on him.

Kate stormed out of the wedding hall fighting against the long dress as her chief bridesmaid chased after her. 

“Kate!! Kate! Talk to me, what’s going on, you were happy, you waited for this day your entire life, what’s all this?” 

“I would appreciate if you don’t ask me any further questions.” She responded still charging forward.

“And Bryan, did you care about how he would feel, did you even think about the impact of your decisions right now, are you sure you truly loved him?”

“Oh well if you love him that much why don’t you go on and marry him!”

“What!...You really don’t know what you’re doing Kate, are you high or something?”

“Kate Delaney, you would not embarrass me this way!” Her mother’s voice echoed amidst the commotion.

A slap landed on her face that left her with ringings in her ears. Kate held her cheek and stared as anger filling her with every breath.

“Do you have any idea the embarrassment you have caused me? You asked for this, you begged me to give my blessings that he was the one. I-I came to realize for myself that Bryan is indeed a good man, without him by now we would be on the streets begging for daily bread.” She paused allowing that realization to settle. 

“Now you listen to me young lady, you would walk back into that hall and say it was all a mistake, that you were nervous or something and you would marry Bryan, is that clear!” 

“No mum, no! He…he.” Kate tried to fight back the outburst of tears as the memory flashed back in her eyes.

“I don’t want to hear your flimsy excuse. No amount of mistake is enough to punish someone this way. He is human, people are not above mistakes. He has a good heart Kate. The paparazzi are here for the biggest wedding in Lavoire and I would not let you ruin our lives with this scandal. Now before the count of three, I want to see you walking back into that hall.” She said as she forcefully grabbed her.

“No, let me go!” Kate screamed.

Kate managed to wriggle herself free from her mother’s grasp and ran away.

“Security! Security! Don’t let her get away!”

Screech! A black G-wagon pulled up in front of her and a man got down from the front seat and opened the back door. She looked inside of the car and looked back, at the macho security men closing in on her and spontaneously entered the vehicle.

Kate heaved a deep sigh as the car drove far away from the wedding venue. She took into consideration her current surrounding assuming one of the guests had seen her distress and offered to help her.

“Thank you so much Sir for offering to give me a ride.” She said turning to assess the face of the man sitting next to her.

His face was buried in a magazine. A long moment of silence stretched between them.

“Sir, I’m thanking…”

“Do you have any idea of what you’ve just done?” He said dropping the magazine he was reading which revealed his face fully.

“No-No, it can’t be you.” Her eyes widened in shock seeing the man beside her. His sharp jawline and dark hazel eyes were so distinct there was no mistaking it. He wasn’t going to be in attendance due to the fact that he was abroad and didn’t even respond to their previous invitation for the engagement party.

This was someone she never wanted to have an encounter with. The most ruthless and arrogant member of the West family. Bryan’s step brother. His mother was a maid to the West family and after her passing, he disappeared and separated himself from the West family. Over the years, he was able to singlehandedly rise above the ranks. His power in the corporate world was well known even by regular workers and civilians. 

Almost every girl in Lavoire falls on their knees to have a one night stand with him. But since he poses to be unreachable, the hunt tuned to Bryan. But compared to Bryan, he is more powerful and the most ruthless. Rumor once had it that he had a secret girlfriend.

“Avan!.., I..I thought you weren’t in the country.”

“Listen Kate, I’m not going to give you a chance to do what you please. You have an ultimatum of three days to fix this mess and get married to Bryan.”

“I-I don’t understand.” Kate said confusion written all over her face. “So a girl can no longer make her own decisions, and even worse as the in-law to be of the West family?” She said arching her brows.

Avan sighed. “There was a wager that one of the West’s must have a successful wedding in this month. It was a playful idea, a dumb one initially but when you accepted Bryan’s proposal and I saw the amount of money put in bet in support of the notion that he may back out before the wedding day, I staked my shares cuz I was convinced of your relationship.”

Kate burst out into an uncontrollable laughter. “That has to be the craziest billionaire flaunting I’ve ever heard, you’re-you’re joking right? 

“You acted like he was your entire world only for you to decline at the altar. What were you thinking, that you can just say yes or no as it pleases you?” 

“I have a right to my choices.” She protested.

“Which is none of my business,” He held her chin and pushed her back against the seat of the car. “You have no idea of the efforts I put in to rise as the opposed shareholder of the Westgrid company and I would not let a good for nothing bitch ruin that for me.”

Kate grunted massaging her chin as he released his grip.

‘And to think I was being saved by a good Samaritan only to be thrown from the fire to the frying pan.’ Kate murmured.

“What was that.”

“What,” she held her hands over her mouth. “Did I say that out loud?”

He rolled his eyes and stared out the tinted window.

“You cannot dictate my life! I won’t get married to Bryan, do your..”

“Then watch your life and that of your helpless mother crumble to nothingness.” He threatened as he tapped the driver’s seat and the car came to halt.

“Get out!” His commanding voice shook Kate out of every form of confidence she had.

“In…in the middle of nowhere, you can’t possibly…do this.” Kate fumbled looking around the area from the tinted glass.

“Kate Delaney, I would not repeat myself!” he said taking a glace at the limited edition of the Blackstein watch on his wrist.

Kate bit her lower lip hard as she alighted.