Novel & Cerita Father Of Bride Part 2

"Give me the document." I didn't recognize it. My blood went cold anyway. "Don't answer," Aridian breathed. "You don't understand what you're holding," the voice said. I looked down and finally unfolded the document all the way. The first line read: *FINAL DECLARATION OF HAWTHORNE SUCCESSION.* Below it, the grandfather's seal. Then names, listed carefully. *Firstborn surviving son — Aridian Hawthorne.* My breath caught. I kept reading, and under that line was a condition none of us had seen before. My eyes moved down the page, faster now.

His Grandfather's aftershave hung heavy in the air, sandalwood with a hint of mint. From where Todd was sitting, he had a great view of the sprawling city below, but it did not attract his attention. Instead, he idly scanned the long table behind his Grandfather's desk, covered with pictures. One featured Jan Vandenberg with the President, along with a few others, with other major business people. Off to the side, there was a large framed photo of his deceased wife. Todd's Grandmother had died before he was born, but he had seen the photo many times, the same one mounted over the mantle at home. Beside her portrait was a picture of him at a very young age with his parents, his mother and fat

My father looked smaller than I remembered, tucked into the high-tech bed of the private suite Adrian had provided. "Amara?" he croaked, his eyes fluttering open as I took his hand. "I’m here, Dad." "I saw... I saw the news," he whispered, gesturing weakly to the TV on the wall. "The wedding. You and that Wolfe boy." My heart squeezed. "It happened fast, Dad. He... he really cares about me." The lie felt like ash in my mouth. "He’s paying for everything. The best doctors, the shop... you don't have to worry anymore."

From there, she’d remind him of their life before, all the luxury and freedom, without kids or custody battles. “Lily will notice if I suddenly reappear,” Vivian said. “Good,” I replied. “Let her worry. Let her doubt him. Once the social worker sees that tension, it’s over.” “And then I get Julian,” Vivian said. “And I get Lily,” I finished with a smile. “Exactly how it should’ve been six years ago.” My phone buzzed. A message from Mother: Phase Two is ready. Be at the estate now. Perfect. “I need to go,” I said, standing. “My mother needs me.”

A knock broke through my spiraling thoughts. My heart leapt. For a second, I imagined Ethan standing there, breathless and apologetic, ready to explain everything. But it wasn’t him. Richard Westwood, his father, walked in instead. My chest sank. The father of the groom. The billionaire who built the Westwood empire. A man whose smiles always came with an agenda. “Emily,” he said, voice clipped. “We have a situation.” I blinked at him. “What kind of situation?” He hesitated. Richard Westwood never hesitated. That was my first warning.

Smiled. “Instead,” he said, stepping back, “I’ve asked someone else to be my bride.” My knees nearly gave way but I stood still, every cell in my body screaming. Out of the crowd, she stepped forward. Clarissa. My sister. Wearing my dress. "Liam," I breathed. "What are you doing?" He didn’t answer me. He extended his hand, to her. “Clarissa, love, come here.” And just like a rehearsed pageantry, she strode down the red carpet, a smile carved on her lips as she walked towards him, confident, calm and cruel.

She burst into tears and ran out, hands covering her face. Then I felt the heat of his breath by my ear. "Let's finish the wedding first. I'll explain everything later, okay?" With the nuisance out of the picture and me not quite in the mood to make a scene, the guests stayed quiet, and the ceremony moved along quickly. Not long after, I was in the bridal room, slapping the mattress hard with my palm. 'What the hell was that earlier? Was that supposed to be some kind of seductive act? Hmph. As if that would work on me.'

"We decided that in order for peace to be a possibility, we had to unite as a family." I found myself instantly unwilling to hear anything else that my father had to say as his eyes drilled into me. "I and Cavallaro arranged that you would wed his eldest child Damon, who would later become Capo dei Capi of the Familia." I had the sensation of falling. "Why me?"

Why? The driver stopped at a huge church and standing right in front of it is my dad and mom. "What took you so long?!" Mom yells. "We don't have time for this. Come. Follow me in." Dad says. I cross my arm with his and he starts walking me towards the bridegroom. The bridegroom looks at me with a happy smile but he doesn't know that he is getting married to the wrong bride or so I thought. After some other things, of which my mind totally blanked out, it finally got to the part where I am asked,

He was an accomplished man in his own right. After the entertainment, it was time for a speech from Freya’s side. Her father stepped up on stage, greeting, “Good evening, everyone. I’m Adrian King—father of the bride, and former president of the ‘Fathers For the Strategic Acquisition of Sons-in-Law’ Association.” Freya, “...” “Pfft.” For the first time that day, Kenneth chuckled. Even Freya’s inner thoughts were laughing so hard.