The Billionaire's Stand-In Bride

Chapter 3

ELENA

The next two hours were the most chaotic of my entire career

I've planned weddings where the groom's mistress showed up. Weddings where family members got into fistfights. Another memorable wedding where the cake caught on fire.

But this was different because this time I was the bride.

Maya dragged me into the small dressing room and started working on my hair while firing questions at me that I couldn't really answer because I didn't know what I was doing either.

"Have you lost your mind?"

"Probably."

"This is insane."

"I know."

"You're going to marry a stranger."

"Technically he's a client so not a complete stranger."

"Elena, this isn't funny and you're going to legally marry this man in front of three hundred people."

She was right and when I let myself think about it my chest got tight and my hands started shaking so I stopped thinking about it and focused on the logistics.

The backup dress fit perfectly because I'd been the one doing all the fittings and I tried it on multiple times to make sure everything was right.

It was beautiful, a simple elegant design in ivory silk that somehow made me look like I actually belonged in a wedding instead of just planning one.

Maya did my makeup heavier than I usually wore it, she styled my hair in loose waves instead of my usual messy bun such that when I looked in the mirror I barely recognized myself.

"You look beautiful," Maya said softly and then her eyes filled with tears. "I can't believe you're actually doing this."

"Don't cry because if you cry then I'll cry and I can't mess up this makeup."

"Promise me this is what you want."

I wanted to laugh because what I wanted was for Jessica to not have abandoned us three hours before the ceremony but that wasn't an option anymore because this was the only solution that kept the wedding from being a complete disaster.

"It's what needs to happen," I said instead and that was the truth even if it wasn't exactly an answer.

Someone knocked on the door and Maya opened it to reveal Dominic's assistant James who I've been working with for the past three weeks. His eyes went wide when he saw me.

"Wow, okay, so we're really doing this."

"Apparently. Did you handle the marriage license?"

"Done and the officiant knows about the switch, the photographer has been briefed and Dominic wanted me to give you this." He held out a small box and inside was a ring, a simple platinum band with a single diamond that was probably worth more than my car!

My stomach literally flipped because somehow the ring made it more real than anything else had.

"He wants to talk to you before the ceremony," James said. "He's in the groom's suite and he said it's important."

I shouldn't go and we should keep this as impersonal as possible and seeing him before the ceremony would only make this harder but I found myself nodding anyway.

Maya squeezed my hand. "I'll go check on the guests and make sure everything's ready out there."

She left with James and I stood there alone in the dressing room wearing a wedding dress and holding a ring and trying not to have a complete panic attack.

This was fine, everything was fine and in a few hours this would all be over and we'd figure out the next steps. I just had to get through the ceremony without falling apart.

I took a deep breath and headed to the groom's suite.

Dominic opened the door before I could knock like he has been waiting right there. When he saw me his expression did something I couldn't quite read. His eyes went wide and then soft and then something else entirely.

"Elena." My name came out rough. "You look..."

"Like a bride?"

"Like the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

That was not what I expected him to say and my face got hot. I couldn't look at him so I looked at the floor instead. "You're just saying that because I'm saving your fake wedding."

"I'm saying it because it's true." He stepped back to let me in. "We need to talk about what happens after this."

Right, the logistics, that's what we should focus on.

"We'll need a contract outlining the terms of the arrangement," I said, falling into professional mode because that felt safer than whatever was happening. "How long the marriage lasts, what the expectations are, compensation, all of that."

"I was thinking we could draft something tonight after the reception."

"That works and we should probably discuss living arrangements because married people live together and your grandmother will definitely notice if we don't."

He ran a hand through his perfectly styled hair and messed it up. "You will move into my place?"

"Unless you want to move into my tiny apartment above a Chinese restaurant but I'm guessing your penthouse has more space."

"It does." He chuckled before going quiet for a moment. "Elena, are you absolutely sure about this? Once we do this ceremony, we're legally married and we can't take it back."

Was I sure? No, I wasn't sure about anything but we were thirty minutes from the ceremony and guests were already arriving, his grandmother was probably already in her seat and backing out now would be worse than going through with it.

"I've been a bride four times and never actually gotten married so maybe the universe is telling me I'm supposed to do this backwards and marry first but figure out everything else later."

"I'm going to want to hear those stories eventually."

"Maybe after this is over and we've both had several drinks."

He smiled at that and it transformed his whole face from intimidating to almost boyish. "Deal."

Someone knocked on the door and James poked his head in. "Five minutes and the grandmother just arrived and everyone's seated and we're ready whenever you are."

This was it and this was really happening and I was about to walk down an aisle and marry a man I'd known for three weeks and this was completely insane.

Dominic must have seen the panic on my face because he stepped closer and took my hand. "We can still call this off if you want to back out."

"And do what instead? There's no other option."

"There's always another option and I won't force you to do this."

His hand was warm and somehow made me feel calmer even though everything about this situation should have made me feel less calm.

"I'm not backing out." I squeezed his hand once and then let go before I could think too much about how right it felt. "Let's go get married."

The next twenty minutes passed so fast.

I stood at the back of the ballroom with Maya who was crying again and James who kept muttering about how this was the craziest thing he'd ever been part of.

The ballroom was filled with three hundred people in designer clothes and I recognized some faces from magazines and news articles because these were the kind of people who made headlines.

The music started. That was my cue! Suddenly I was walking down the aisle toward Dominic who stood at the altar looking devastating in his tuxedo.

Our eyes locked and I couldn't look away, something passed between us that I didn't even want to name.

He watched me walk toward him like I was the only person in the room and everyone else disappeared. It was just us.

When I reached the altar he took my hand and leaned in close enough that only I could hear. "Thank you for this."

"Thank you for not running away when you saw me in the dress."

"I'd never run from you."

The officiant started the ceremony and I barely heard the words because my heart was beating so loud in my ears.

This was supposed to be fake and impersonal, just a business arrangement but standing here holding Dominic's hands while he looked at me like that made it feel like something else entirely.

The vows were were just traditional and generic. Exactly what we'd planned and when it was my turn to speak I said "I do" my voice only shook a little.

Dominic said "I do" but his voice was steady and sure, his eyes never left mine.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Oh god, I hadn't thought about this part and we have to kiss in front of three hundred people, his grandmother and the press. This was supposed to be quick and professional.

Dominic stepped closer and his hand came up to cup my face, he gave me just enough time to pull away if I wanted to. I didn't pull away and then his lips were on mine. The kiss was soft and gentle.

It lasted way longer than a quick professional kiss should last.

When we finally broke apart the entire ballroom erupted in applause and cheers. I was dizzy and breathless.

Dominic was looking at me with an expression I couldn't read but that gave me butterflies in my stomach.

We were married. this was real and legal. I just kissed my husband in front of three hundred people.

My husband.

What had I just done?

The recessional music started and we walked back down the aisle together with his hand on my lower back and everyone was smiling and clapping. His grandmother in the front row was crying happy tears.

We made it to the back hallway away from the crowd. Suddenly it was quiet, we were alone and the reality of what just happened crashed over me.

"So," I said because someone had to say something. "We're married."

"Legally and completely married." He was still standing close enough that I could smell his cologne. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I might pass out or throw up or both. I can't believe we actually just did that."

"We did and now we have a reception to get through and about four hours of pretending to be madly in love."

Right, the reception, I had planned every detail of it and now I had to actually attend it as the bride instead of the wedding planner making sure everything ran smoothly.

"I've never been on this side of a wedding before."

"First time for everything." He smiled slightly. "At least you know the food will be good since you're the one who picked it."

"Small blessings."

We stood there looking at each other for so long. I should say something professional about the timeline for the reception or the schedule for photos but all I could think about was how his lips had felt on mine, how his hand was still on my lower back and how this was supposed to be fake but felt incredibly real.

We were still staring at each other until James burst through the doors looking panicked. "We have a problem and the photographer just told me that one of the guests is a reporter from the New York Times. They're asking questions about how you two met, when you got engaged and they're saying something doesn't add up about the timeline."

My stomach dropped. We've been married for less than ten minutes and someone was already suspicious. This whole carefully constructed lie was about to fall apart.

Dominic's hand tightened on my back. "Then I guess we'd better get our story straight before we face them.”