Chapter Four
1278 Words
Skye marched confidently to stand beside Dominic, who raised an eyebrow in silent question. “She’ll be here soon,” Skye assured, though his heart raced with uncertainty.
The ceremony was held in a grand, ornately decorated church. The high vaulted ceilings and stained glass windows cast colorful patterns on the polished marble floor. Elegant floral arrangements lined the aisle, the scent of fresh roses and lilies filling the air.
Soon, Natalie appeared, walking down the aisle with a bouquet of flowers. Her makeup had been meticulously retouched, enhancing her already striking beauty. Her face was hidden behind a delicate white veil that added an air of mystery.
Jasmine, Dominic’s aunt and the mastermind behind this union, frowned slightly. She couldn’t see the bride’s face clearly through the veil and wondered why Sophia looked leaner than before. Little did she know, the bride wasn’t Sophia at all.
Natalie’s heart pounded as she approached the altar. Every step felt like walking on a tightrope. Fear gnawed at her insides. What if she got caught? Dominic, known as the Billionaire Beast, was infamous for his ruthlessness. What would he do when he discovered she was an impostor, who had deceived his assistant to be here? She prayed fervently that the real bride wouldn’t show up and ruin everything.
“I’ll talk to him,” she reassured herself, taking a deep breath. She had only heard rumors about Dominic and had never seen him in person. Slowly, she lifted her gaze to his face, and her heart skipped a beat.
She had imagined him as a middle-aged, perhaps unattractive man. Instead, she found herself staring at someone who was devastatingly handsome, with a perfectly built, muscular frame. Despite his cold demeanor, he looked angelic. Was he even human? How could someone be so perfect?
Unwittingly, her lips curled into a smile. Dominic, noticing her smile, was taken aback. People usually quivered under his dominant aura and cold stare, but she was different. What kind of woman had his aunt chosen for him?
Dominic's grandfather, Harrison, beamed with joy, his heart swelling with happiness as he witnessed his grandson’s wedding.
“I do,” Natalie replied to the priest’s question, her voice steady despite her inner turmoil. Dominic stared at her for a moment, his gaze piercing, before responding with his own vow.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now—”
Before the priest could finish, Dominic stepped down from the altar and walked away, leaving Natalie stunned. What had gotten into him?
“Jerk,” Skye muttered, shaking his head. He approached Natalie. “Allow me to escort you, Mrs. Kingston.”
Hearing the name ‘Mrs. Kingston’ made Natalie smile again as she followed Skye out of the hall.
“That punk,” Harrison grumbled. Jasmine held his hand gently.
“You know how cold he is. Let Sophia melt his heart. It will take time. At least he’s married now. Let's be happy and visit them soon,” she said, smiling to calm Harrison.
Meanwhile, in the sleek, black Lamborghini, Natalie stole glances at Dominic, who had his eyes closed. How could he not recognize his bride? What kind of wedding was this? She had never seen her groom either and couldn’t believe how easily she had gotten away with it.
“Here, sign this. Input your name and other details,” Skye handed Natalie a file. Dominic’s signature was already there.
She hesitated, her mind racing. Should she use her real name? In the end, she did, handing the file back to Dominic. Her breath caught as he opened it.
“Wait!” she blurted out. Dominic’s eyes opened slowly, his gaze cold and assessing.
“Your suit, where did you get it? It’s really nice,” she asked, trying to divert attention. Dominic’s piercing gaze fixed on her, noticing her nervousness.
“This suit? I got it from Kingston's personal fashion designer, Rusell. He’s the best. You’ll meet him in time,” Skye said, closing the file. Natalie exhaled in relief, though Dominic didn’t miss her anxiety.
---
In a lavish penthouse suite, Sophia lay with her head on Ryder’s chest, sleeping soundly. The room was filled with luxury, from the satin sheets to the designer furniture. Ryder watched her with a knowing smile. They had spent the night in a passionate embrace and slept through half the day.
Sophia stirred, groaning softly as she woke. “Good morning, angel,” Ryder greeted her, leaning down to kiss her lightly.
“Good morning, bear. You look so handsome,” she smiled, tapping his nose with her finger.
“You don’t look bad either,” Ryder replied in a hoarse voice.
Sophia pulled away from him, got out of bed, and reached for her phone. The large windows behind her let in the bright morning light, illuminating her graceful movements.
“Can’t we stay in bed a little longer?” Ryder asked, his eyes trailing her naked body. His voice was tinged with nervousness.
“You want to f**k me again this morning? No, I’m tired. My whole body aches because of your monster last night,” Sophia chuckled, grabbing her phone. Ryder sighed deeply.
“Huh? Why are there so many missed calls?” Sophia pouted. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw the date on her screen.
“The f**k!” she exclaimed, turning slowly to look at Ryder, who scratched his head awkwardly.
“Today is my wedding day. Why didn’t you remind me?!” Sophia yelled.
“Come on, babe. How could I let you marry another man?” Ryder replied.
“I told you it was temporary! God, what have I done?” Sophia frantically dialed Jasmine’s number.
“Hey, Mrs. Jasmine,” Vanessa breathed out.
“Hi, Sophia. I’m so happy for you today. The wedding went well,” Jasmine’s voice came through the phone.
“Huh? What wedding?” Sophia’s face twisted in confusion.
“Your wedding, Sophia. Didn’t you just marry Dominic an hour ago?” Jasmine asked, puzzled.
“Actually, I wasn’t at the wedding…”
“What!!!”
“Something terrible came up. I couldn’t show up. I just got out of trouble and decided to call,” Sophia said, panicking.
“If you aren’t the bride, then who did Dominic marry?” Jasmine demanded.
“I... I don’t know... Dominic got married?” Sophia’s hand trembled, gripping the phone tightly.
“Yes, you dummy. How could you neglect the wedding after all our plans, Sophia!” Jasmine shouted.
“I told you…” Sophia’s words were cut short as the call ended.
“s**t!”
She glared at Ryder, still on the bed.
“How could they have held the wedding even after I told them you had an accident?” Ryder muttered.
“You what?!” Sophia grabbed an apple from the table and threw it at Ryder. “You’re a psycho!” she screamed, dressing hastily.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“Ask your smelly ass. I never knew you had such a tiny brain. Do you know what you just made me lose?” she snapped, still dressing.
“You have me, Sophia. How would you feel if I married someone else?” he asked.
Sophia didn’t reply, storming out of the room.
“Sophia!” Ryder shouted after her.
As the luxurious door slammed behind her, her mind raced. Who had Dominic married if not her? What would she do now? Her heart pounded with a mix of fear and determination as she made her way to confront the chaos she had left behind.
- Writer
