What Happens At The End Of The Dressmaker'S Gift?

Aurora “Rorie” Montgomery never expected to wake up married to a billionaire, but when she impulsively takes the place of an heiress forced into an arranged marriage, she finds herself trapped in a world of power, contracts, and ruthless business deals. Nathan Westfield, CEO and notorious workaholic, agreed to marry for convenience—not love. His only conditions? His wife must be discreet, loyal, and provide a future heir. Rorie has secrets. Nathan has rules. And neither of them expected to actually want this marriage to work. From the moment she steps into Nathan’s world, Rorie challenges him at every turn. She’s nothing like the obedient wife he anticipated, and she refuses to be a silent player in his life. But when Nathan discovers her true identity, instead of walking away, he protects her—publicly and mercilessly shutting down anyone who dares to question her place at his side. As past betrayals resurface and enemies threaten to unravel their carefully crafted arrangement, Rorie realizes the greatest danger isn’t losing her secret—it’s losing her heart. Because somewhere between the heated arguments, the stolen glances, and the moments where Nathan looks at her like she’s his entire world, she starts to wonder… What happens when a marriage built on lies starts to feel real? Perfect for fans of slow-burn romance, enemies-to-lovers tension, and billionaire love stories with high stakes and sizzling chemistry, The Last Minute Bride is a tale of deception, power, and a love that refuses to be just another deal.

I was slowly dying from Silverthorn Wolfsbane, and there was only one cure—the Miracle Elixir. But my mate, Leo Ashford, bought it and gave it to my adoptive sister, Jane Smith. He did it because he thought I was faking my illness. I gave up on the treatment and swallowed a potent painkiller instead. It would kill me in three days by shutting down my organs. In those three days, I gave up everything. I handed over the fur manufacturing business I built from the ground up to Jane, and my parents praised me for caring about my sister. I offered to sever our mate bond, and Leo praised me for finally being sensible. When I told my son he could call Jane "mommy", he happily said that his new mommy was the best! I transferred all my savings to Jane, and no one seemed to notice anything out of the ordinary. They were just pleased with my "better behavior". "Viola is finally not so bad." I wondered—would they regret it after I was gone?

On the day of my wedding, my senior military officer fiance took off the wedding dress I had designed myself. “You know that Crystal got hurt and can’t have children. She won’t be able to get married. Lend her your wedding dress so she can experience what it’s like to get married.” I was stunned in place, but Jordan Langford was already slipping off my dress. “We’re just going to do a wedding rehearsal so she can have the experience. Then, I’ll come home and get you, and we can have our wedding.” I looked at him, flabbergasted. I could not believe that he could say such a thing on such an important day. Jordan helped Crystal into the dress before patting me on the head and saying comfortingly, “It’s just a ceremony. You’re the woman I want for my wife. Don’t think too hard about it.” After that, he left with Crystal in the dozen-car-strong motorcade while I waited at home. Jordan was a senior military officer, while Crystal had been an army medic. Because of an injury that made her lose the ability to have children, Jordan was giving her my wedding. Tears poured down my face, and I felt my heart go cold. I bought a plane ticket back home and left without telling anyone. If that was Jordan’s choice, then I would not marry him.

On her sister’s wedding day, everything falls apart. Rumors swirl that the groom is crippled, poor, and an illegitimate child. Determined to protect her family’s reputation, their mother makes a shocking decision—she forces her quiet, overlooked younger daughter to take her sister’s place at the altar. Humbled, humiliated, and powerless, she steps into a marriage everyone expects to be miserable. But the man she married is nothing like she—or anyone—expects. Strange things begin to happen, whispers of wealth, influence, and power follow him everywhere, and suddenly, the life she thought she was trapped in becomes unpredictable and dangerous. Now, the woman everyone overlooked must navigate a web of secrets, betrayal, and desires—and discover whether this forced marriage is her undoing… or her greatest chance at love. And when the truth finally comes to light, what will become of her mother, her sister, and everyone who betrayed her? Will they pay the price—or be left in the shadows of her triumph?

On the day I went to try on my wedding dress, Enzo had said he would come with me—but he never showed up. The train of the gown was too long. I stood alone in front of the mirror, bending over again and again to fix it more than a dozen times. The third time I stepped on the hem, my phone finally buzzed. 'Natalie just came back and isn't used to the weather here. I'll go pick her up. You try on the dress first.' The next second, a new post popped up on social media. Natalie had uploaded a photo. In it, Enzo was crouched in front of her, one hand wrapped around her slender ankle as he carefully fastened the strap of her high heels. The caption was only one line. 'He still couldn't bear to let me bend down.' When I tapped into the post, I saw that Enzo had already liked it. The bridal assistant sensed the shift in the air and tried to comfort me in a low voice. "Ms. Blackwood, Mr. Beck really cares about you. He was worried you might secretly diet and hurt your health, so he specifically told us not to alter the waistline any further." I smiled. He cared about me, yes. But his care had never stopped him from favoring someone else. I lowered my head and looked at the wedding dress on my body. Then it suddenly struck me. The thing that did not fit had never been the dress. It was this wedding.

I died on my birthday, but neither my parents nor my husband noticed. They were too busy pouring all their attention into planning my twin sister, Esme Shaw's, birthday party. While she was surrounded by people helping her pick out a gown, I was tied up and thrown into the basement. With what little strength I had left, I forced my broken fingers to press in the code—9395. It was a signal my husband, Edwin Grant, and I had once agreed on. It was a straightforward way to call for help in the event of danger. I never thought I would actually need it one day. But when I sent it, he didn't believe me. His reply was cold, "Claudia, just because I didn't take you shopping for a new dress, you've decided to put on a show? "You can still wear last year's gown. Stop making trouble. I'll see you at the party later." What he didn't know was that Esme had already shredded that gown into pieces. And what he couldn't imagine was that the moment after he hung up, I was already gone. So, when the celebration began, I never appeared. But when everyone saw the birthday gift I had prepared for Esme ahead of time, the entire room lost its mind.