Bride To Be, Not Me Novels & Stories

she whispered. Richard folded his hands behind his back. "The guests don't know the bride personally. Most of them are business associates. The ceremony hasn't started, and the press hasn't seen her yet." He turned to Adrian. "The merger survives." Eva stared at him in disbelief. "You can't replace a bride like she's a missing decoration." "No," Richard replied calmly. "But we can replace a woman who has already chosen to leave." "I said no." Richard raised an eyebrow. "I wasn't asking you."

I had patiently explained, "My parents rarely travel, and they don't know how to use ride-share apps. I had to buy their train tickets for them. The station isn't even far from our place. If you could just drive over—" Before I could finish, she cut me off impatiently. "I'm exhausted from working all day, and now I have to come home and follow your orders? They're your parents. I'm not responsible for them." With two sharp beeps, she hung up. In the end, I had to call a friend, who drove out to get them without a single complaint. The woman I was about to marry was less reliable than a friend. The thought was so ridiculous that a laugh escaped my throat.

Honestly, I had assumed it would be a simple signing of a marriage document and quietly moving to his house. The thought of having an elaborate wedding made my muscles tighten with fear. If my stepmother found out I was marrying Ethan King, her jealousy would spike, and I’m scared she’d convinced my dad against it. I clenched my teeth and breathed in confidence. “You’ve given me your terms, I want to give you mine.” His head snapped up at my words, his face twisted in a mixture of anger and confusion but I didn't mind. My arms crossed, my face set in a stern expression as I declared. “No wedding.”

Not in his world. And yet, for a fleeting second, I imagined what it would be like to be the real bride—to have those eyes look at me like I mattered. He was handsome. Dangerously so. The kind of man girls dreamed about and mothers warned their daughters to run from. But one thing I found strange was that he looked familiar, like someone I had met in the past, but can't place my fingers on exactly. And I was the wrong bride walking straight into his life. I just stood there drooling over him, I didn't realize he was talking.

This. A contract bride. A woman with a bruised face and too-large clothes and terror in her eyes. Someone who had been sold to me like a line item on a spreadsheet. Someone who flinched when I moved too fast. Someone who looked at my world like it was a nightmare she could not wake up from. "This contract is terminated," I said. My voice was even. Controlled. "I do not want it, and I do not want whatever this is." I gestured toward the mark at her throat. "This bond, I reject it. Entirely and completely."

Our wedding was around the corner, and my belly had grown noticeably larger. Because he was worried I'd have trouble getting around in the last stretch of my pregnancy, Kai brought our wedding forward by two days. That day, the bodyguards came to take me to the bridal shop for a fitting. I was looking down at my phone, chatting with Kai, so I didn't realize the car had already gone off course. When we finally came to a stop, the driver in the front seat knocked me out and dragged me away.

I dug my nails into my palm, forcing myself to maintain a calm, professional expression. "Ms. Greenfield, do you have any other requests for the wedding?" Anna tilted her head, thought for a moment, then suddenly spoke up. "Oh, right. The entire floor has to be covered with imported cashmere carpets. My wedding dress is pure silk. My boyfriend bought it for me. It can't snag even a little. Money doesn't matter. My boyfriend has plenty of it." I almost laughed when I heard that. Victor. The poor student I had personally lifted up. The boy who once couldn't even scrape together five dollars, now a billionaire CEO. What took others twenty years to achieve, I helped him accomplish in just three.

After a few moments, when I was finally able to speak again, I asked him just one more question. "But why does it have to be Daniel? Why can't I just marry Lucas and be done with it?" Boy, lemme tell you something, I was NOT prepared for his answer.

“I’m coming, I’m coming! I haven't even touched down in the country yet, Alana give me a break.” “I need you here fast,” I said. “We have venues to pick, cake tasting to endure… as a matter of fact I'm short on a bridesmaid. I’ve been thinking about who could fill that spot.” Becca didn't reply immediately. “You know I was thinking of including your friend, Eleanor.” “Eleanor?” Becca sounded surprised, then thoughtful. “That's a wonderful idea. I could talk to her if you want?” “Nah that won't be a good idea,” I said doing the sum. “I think it's best she hears from the horse's mouth. After all, I'm the bride. Em… by the way… she’s still single right?”

My life was going to change after today. I had always imagined my wedding to be simple, with Suzy and Rose as my bridesmaids but they weren't even going to attend, instead some people I have no idea of were going to be my bridesmaid. My wedding was going to be the wedding of the season. So, I'd be the anonymous bride of Don. That had gotten a sad sigh from me. The door to where I was sitting alone to stare at myself opened. "You'd soon be called out." A female in her mid twenties said.