Chapter 1
I stood in front of the chapel.
Pink roses and white lilies decorated every corner. My favorite flowers.
The guests were already seated. Soon, at the end of the red carpet would stand the man I once loved, waiting to marry his bride.
Everything was perfect.
Except I wasn’t the bride.
“I really need to see Jace today.”
I begged the bodyguard blocking the door. A beat–up suitcase and two boxes sat at my feet. Everything I owned in the world.
“No you don’t. Get out of here,” the bodyguard said icily.
saw disgust in his eyes. Yeah I get it. No one has sympathy for the crazy ex who shows up at the wedding.
But I have my reason to be here.
“If you don’t let me see him, I’ll just stand here and all the guests will see me,” I threatened under my breath.
Jace wouldn’t want that. Especially not today.
Because today, he was marrying Delilah Hart.
She is the sister to Alpha Grayson Hart of Redstone Pack. A 100% high–society darling.
All the guys in the world knew that marrying Delilah would totally change their lives, including Jace.
So he made the easy call–marrying the lady who could turn him from a small–town nobody into a golden boy. And dump the girl who stayed by his side for last 4 years when he had nothing.
He didn’t want any guests to see me here. Because I represented his broke, embarrassing past. He wanted me nowhere near his glittering new world.
Tears stung my eyes as I thought of that. Like a knife was twisting in my chest.
“Let me in or I’m starting to yell.” I choked.
The bodyguard frowned. “Wait here.”
He finally called somebody. A few minutes later, he waved me in.
I wiped my eyes and struggled into the hall with my suitcase and boxes.
Instantly, I felt out of place.
Everything reeked of wealth here. Expensive perfume. Manicured nails. Not a hair out of place. It was everything you imagined about the upper–class and way more.
And me?
I was wearing a baggy T–shirt and jeans. My sneakers had holes.
“God, a homeless. She stinks.” A woman mutter as I walked by.
No it couldn’t be. I just showered this morning. My hair still smelled like strawberries and coconut.
But poverty had a scent, apparently.
“Mr. Carter is inside.” The guard took me to a closed door and warned, “Make it quick.”
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9:17 AM
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Chapter 1
“Thank you.”
The room inside looked like something out of a movie. Marble floors. White carpet. A chandelier that probably cost more than my
apartment.
And there he was.
The man I used to love.
Adjusting his bowtie in front of a mirror.
Jace was still heartbreakingly handsome. No wonder Delilah fell for him.
When he turned and fixed his gorgeous blue eyes upon me, I still felt my heart race.
“Hey, Jace,” I said quietly.
And immediately, I wanted to punch myself.
Hey, Jace?!
That’s the best I could do?
His face was ice cold.
“You shouldn’t come, Aria.” he said with a frown. “Your ratty suitcase, your ripped jeans, your Vans. None of that belongs here.”
Well if you wanted to be brutal and vicious, that’s how it’s done.
“Don’t you think I deserve an explanation? You dumped me over a fucking email!” I snapped.
He shrugged. “Look around you. The wealthiest people in the world came for me today. This suit I’m wearing cost more than you can make in your entire life. What more explanation do you want?”
Wow.
I always knew he was a cold, calculating bastard.
I just didn’t realize how deep it ran.
“Maybe chasing Alpha’s sister got you here faster. But you know what? When she finds out how shallow and cold you are. You’ll lose it
all.”
Anger flared across his face.
“I know how to love someone! I just won’t waste that on a small–town girl like you.” he said freezingly, “Are we done here?”
“No.”
I took a deep breath and got into the real reason I came.
“You’re marrying a rich girl. Fine. But why did you have to get me fired?”
Yeah. I used to work for this jerk.
From intern to full–time at Apex Corp, he was my supervisor.
Our office romance was a secret. And just days ago, I found out he was getting married with Apex CEO’s sister. And I was out of a job thanks to him.
“Right, your job.” The jerk shrugged, “You got your job all thanks to me. Now that I’m not around, maybe they finally saw how incompetent and stupid you are. Problem?”
Was he fucking kidding me?!
“I graduated top of my class. Made it through 7 rounds of interviews. My performance exceeded every quarterly target. I earned that
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Chapter 1
job!” I snapped.
“Come on, Aria. You really gonna be so naïve?”
He walked closer, smirking.
O
“You passed the interviews because I said so. Your sales? I contacted those customers for you. Without me, you’d be nothing but a pretty face.”
He seized my chin and looked me over with a disgusting look. I slapped his hand away.
“Give me my job back,” I hissed, my voice slightly trembling. “My dad’s debt. My grandma’s medical bills…I need the money. You of all people should know what it’s like to be poor. Don’t. Make. Me. Beg.”
I was throwing my pride at his feet.
But he just laughed.
“Well, how about I offer you a deal?” he said as though he’d been waiting for this moment.
He brushed my hair back, fingers trailing down to my collarbone. I shivered in disgust.
“You and I. We never fuck. You were so clinging to that pathetic no–sex–before–marriage rule. Maybe it’s time to grow up. Let me fuck you once and I’ll write you very handsome check. How does that sound?”
I widened my eyes in shock.
Then I slapped him. HARD.
“FUCKING HELL… What the hell are you doing?! I’m getting married in front of everyone in fucking 10 minutes!” He roared covering his swollen face.
“Fuck you, Jace!” I yelled, “You’re a spineless freeloading puss! And hey–congrats on the wedding. Hope your junk is soft like a fucking spaghetti tonight!”
Then I stormed out dragging my suitcase and boxes, ignoring his angry curses behind me.
Hot tears poured down as I dashed across the hallway.
God this couldn’t be any worse.
I was prepared to drop all my self–esteem and begged with my life. Because I needed the job and money.
But I still let him get to me.
Now what do I do?
My salary barely covered my rent, my father’s debt and grandma’s bill. Now with my job gone, I already got kicked out by my landlord. I probably had to sleep in a park tonight.
So do I go back and let that jerk win? Let him humiliate me…No. I’d rather die than that…
“Hey, watch where you’re going!” someone yelled.
Too late.
I slammed right into the man in front of me.
He was tall. So tall I felt like I’d just walked into a brick wall.
His diamond cufflink was sharp like a blade. When we collided, it sliced clean through my thin T–shirt with a loud rip.
In one second, the front of my shirt was torn open, exposing my white lace bra.
“Ah!” I gasped and looked up.
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Chapter 1
This was the most handsome man I’d ever seen. His face was like a statue carved by a master artist. And his expression was so cold and distant.
When he looked down at me, I swear I was about to drown in those stormy gray eyes of his.
Suddenly, I recognized who he was.
This was Alpha of Redstone Pack. CEO of Apex Corporation.
Jace’s brother–in–law.
THE legendary. Grayson Hart.
“Aria Collins?”
His voice was sexy and velvety.
He lowered his head and his eyes dropped to the exposed part of my bra. Maybe it was just my imagination, but the color of his eyes seemed to darken as he stared.
Wherever his gaze landed, my skin started burning up.
But wait.
How did he know my name?
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