>Mallory
The mont the words left my mouth—
"STOP THE WEDDING! THAT MAN IS THE FATHER OF MY SON!"
—I knew I had just detonated the social equivalent of a nuclear bomb. My breath hitched, blood draining from my face as an awkward silence hit the wedding hall so hard it echoed.
Even Asher, who’d been humming behind his headphones, paused mid-wiggle in my arms.
Hundreds of faces swiveled in perfect unison toward : confusion, disbelief, horror, excitent — different reactions all erupting at the sa ti. I swear I could hear crickets in the air.
A decorative centerpiece clattered to the ground sowhere. I clutched my dress, trying to steady myself despite the suffocating, judging silence. My gaze wandered to the very front — the groom — tall, handso, dressed in an immaculate suit, perfectly styled hair brushed upward — stared at , a hint of confusion on *his* face before it shifted into a silent smirk.
Our eyes t. And for a mont everything slowed down. I recognized that man...
That’s the man we t at the airport, the one from the magazine Asher kept telling about.
But that was the least of my concerns. I didn’t need to know him. I just needed the payout. Mara said the money would be transferred after I successfully stopped the wedding, which ant I needed to follow through and make sure this wedding wouldn’t proceed.
Then—
A voice sharper than a guillotine sliced through the silence.
"WHAT did she just say?!"
The bride. I flinched, my fingers twitching beside . Blood drained from my face. I recognized that voice...
Oh god.
Oh no.
Oh why did it have to be her?
She turned, veil whipping dramatically, and when her face ca into full view I nearly dropped Asher.
Eleina Morrow.
My half-sister. She still had that arrogant look on her face, but now it was contorted into sothing unreadable.
The sa girl who once locked in a closet for "breathing too loud." The sa girl who had ruined half my life with her mother. The one who wouldn’t let study because I couldn’t gain more attention than her.
And here she was.
In a gown worth probably more than my entire existence. About to marry a man I was being paid to sabotage.
My luck was so horrendous it could be studied by scientists. Why did it have to be the very sa family I cast aside?
My mouth hung open, attempting to speak, while my throat constricted with sothing that wouldn’t allow to breathe.
Then her gaze sharpened, recognition slamming into her expression.
"You—" she sputtered. "YOU? What are YOU doing here?!"
"That bitch!" That was Mrs. Morrow, and the one next to her, with a stare sharp enough to kill a person, was the eldest Morrow daughter.
"Security!" she shrieked.
Two beefy n in suits moved toward imdiately.
I backed up, hugging Asher tighter. "Hey! I’m holding a child! Don’t you dare touch !"
The security n hesitated.
Soone whispered loudly, "Is the baby really his? Oh, I didn’t know the CEO of Arc Innovation Corp. has a child?"
Of course not! It was the first ti I’d t this man in my life — well, not technically the first ti.
But I pretended I didn’t hear that.
Eleina pretended she didn’t hear that either, but her eye twitched violently. They were aware I escaped that house pregnant. They might’ve thought I was telling the truth.
In the chaos, my gaze darted around—
And then I spotted her.
Mara.
In the third row. Her face confused as it flicked between and the bride. Right. I didn’t exactly tell her about my family.
I smiled at her awkwardly — maybe asking for help on how to get out of this situation. But she just grinned.
Giving two enthusiastic thumbs-up.
She mouthed:
CAUSE. A. SCENE.
Just great. What a wonderful support system I had. She even did a little cheerleader shimmy.
The groom finally moved.
He stepped down from the altar, slowly, carefully — though to be honest, he looked like he was about to swallow whole. Not angry, but with the kind of darkness a predator has in front of its prey. He was just... observing. Like he was trying to piece together a puzzle he didn’t rember signing up for. Well, technically he did sign up for it.
His eyes flicked from to Asher.
Then back to .
God. This was awkward.
Like, I-want-to-lt-through-the-floor-and-die awkward.
"I..." he said, voice low. "What—"
"DON’T TALK TO HER!" Eleina shrieked before he could finish.
Asher’s head perked up from the noise, then he started wiggling out of my arms and before I could say anything he ran toward the man.
"Da-daddy..." His little footsteps echoed through the hall. The entire audience gasped.
Eleina paused.
"This—THIS woman is lying! She’s—she’s desperate, she just wants money, she—"
She was about to launch herself at my Asher, my heart leaping into my throat because I know wouldn’t make it in ti to stop her when—
The man grabbed her hand.
"What do you think are you doing?" His voice was so cold the entire atmosphere dropped a full temperature.
"B-babe," Eleina whined, almost stuttering. I took that chance to run and snatch Asher back.
"Daddy..." Asher whimpered in a low voice. I kissed his head before patting his back hushing him into comfort.
"How dare you try to attack a child? Is that how you were raised?!" I snapped. I wouldn’t care if she tried to attack , but I would never let her touch my child.
Eleina’s jaw popped open like it was broken. I clamped my mouth shut.
"HOW DARE THE ARCHEVAL FAMILY DISRESPECT US?" Mrs. Morrow roared, her face fuming red.
Before they could tear my face off, another voice bood.
"ENOUGH."
Everyone stilled.
An elderly man with silver hair, a cane carved with dragons, and the aura of soone who could buy and sell entire countries walked forward.
I recognized him instantly. Anyone would. The founder of the biggest and most successful company in Asia. And Mara’s grandfather...
And unfortunately, his gaze was now locked directly on .
"Explain yourself," he commanded.
I swallowed hard. I needed the money. Stick to the plan. Since I already ruined it, I might as well ruin the entire Morrow family’s day.
Get the money.
"I ca because the groom is the father of my son, and I can’t allow him to marry soone else" I said, loud enough for all to hear. That’s right! That’s what I ca here for.
More gasps tore through the crowd.
The grandfather stepped closer and looked at Asher — really looked — until I felt Asher’s tiny arms tighten around . Then he nodded to himself like he had just confird so prophecy.
"This child," he announced, "looks exactly like him."
Everyone turned to the groom.
I looked at him, confused. As in,
’Sir, I don’t know what you’re seeing but okay.’ kind of confused. I could say he resembled Mara but not really hi—wait. I could actually see it.
Thank God for this coincidence!
Asher barely even looked like and whole situation was absurd, but it looked like fate was on my side.
"Security," Eleina barked. "Remove her before she destroys my wedding—"
"You will NOT touch the mother of my great-grandchild," the grandfather thundered.
The room went silent again. My mouth dropped open.
Eleina choked. "I—I—WHAT?!"
A woman who hadn’t spoken until now finally voiced out.
"Mr. Archeval, we respect you as a person, but canceling the wedding because of so unconfird assumption — isn’t it blatant disrespect?" Alisha’s tone was as indifferent as usual, but I could feel the simring rage beneath it.
"I have spent my entire life," the old man continued, "dreaming of great-grandchildren. None of my grandchildren has given one."
Then he pointed at .
"This woman," he declared, "has already provided sothing the Morrow family couldn’t in 6 years."
I raised a finger. "Just to clarify, I have provided nothing—"
Well, technically speaking I was also a Morrow but these people was already dead to .
"Hush," he said without looking at .
I shut up.
He turned back to the groom with all the gravitas of a judge passing sentence.
"You will marry her instead."
My soul left my body. No! This wasn’t part of the plan. I couldn’t just marry soone I didn’t even know.
I snapped my mouth open, but before I could say anything, The sharp gazes everyone was shooting at rendered silent. My entire body froze.
I felt sweat collecting behind my knees.
The grandfather jabbed his cane at the groom again. "Well? Do you accept your responsibility?"
I held my breath.
He wouldn’t say yes.
He couldn’t say yes.
This was insane.
Surely he wouldn’t.
The groom’s gaze slowly moved to again.
Studying like he couldn’t quite figure out what puzzle piece I was supposed to be.
Then—
He smiled. "That’s right. This woman is the mother of my child." He walked toward and grabbed my arm before interlocking it with his and raising it for the crowd to see. "I’ll marry her."
"What?!" I squeaked.
I stared at him in total shock, heart pounding, mind spiraling, gripping Asher so tightly he squird.
I had co here to break a wedding for a stranger.
Now sohow...
I was the bride.
He leaned in, his breath warm against my ear.
"You’re still as interesting as the day I rember you."
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