The Billionaire’s Unwanted Bride

Chapter 4: The promotion

The Kings Group International headquarters was buzzing with renewed energy. The front page of every major newspaper featured a glossy shot of Bryan and Isabella, mid-kiss, under a shower of white rose petals. Headlines like "The Billionaire Prince Marries Corporate Cinderella" dominated morning talk shows and social media.

Inside the boardroom, however, the atmosphere was far from romantic.

Bryan stood at the head of the table, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the surface. The board members all dressed in various shades of power watched him with curious anticipation.

Harold King, his father, was seated beside him, unusually silent.

"Before we begin," Bryan said, his voice clear, confident, and razor-sharp, "I’d like to express my gratitude to this board for trusting me with the future of this company."

Polite applause echoed.

"Today marks the beginning of a new era for Kings Group. I intend to expand our tech investments, restructure lagging divisions, and launch our new AI arm in Q4. There’s no room for dead weight."

Harold smirked slightly as his son arrived.

"The press will keep watching," Bryan continued. "They’ll romanticize the wedding, speculate about our marriage. That’s fine. Let them talk. While they do, we build."

The board members nodded, impressed.

Minutes later, the official vote took place. Bryan King, by unanimous decision, was appointed CEO of Kings Group International.

His name was etched into legacy.

After the meeting, Bryan stepped into the hallway, greeted by applause from waiting staff and senior managers. Cameras clicked, and hands extended for congratulatory handshakes.

Clara, his assistant, approached with a tablet. "Press conference at 2 p.m. Interview with Forbes next week. You’re booked solid for the next 10 days."

He nodded his face, the picture of control. But inside, the weight of it all pressed down. It wasn’t just the company now. It was the marriage, the secrets, the flash drive sitting untouched in his office drawer.

Isabella joined him in the executive lounge a moment later. She wore a cream blazer dress, elegant and sharp. Her presence, even silent, commanded attention.

"Congratulations, Mr. CEO," she said.

"Thank you, Mrs. King."

They stood in silence for a beat.

"The media wants us to make a joint appearance," she added.

He sighed. "Of course they do."

"I scheduled a brief Q&A. Ten minutes. Nothing personal. Just optics."

He looked at her then, really looked. "You're good at this."

"I was raised to be."

"And what were you raised to want?"

Isabella’s eyes flickered. "Not this."

But before the conversation could deepen, Clara returned. "Your car is ready. We have thirty minutes to the press briefing."

They exited the building hand-in-hand, camera crews following every step. The crowd outside erupted into cheers as they waved. A perfect couple. A perfect empire.

Inside the sleek black car, Isabella turned her gaze to the window.

"You don’t have to keep holding my hand," she said.

Bryan let go immediately, leaning back.

"I read the contract again last night," Isabella said. "Clause thirteen. We’re stuck with each other for two years unless someone breaks the terms."

He chuckled bitterly. "Planning a quick escape already?"

"Just doing my homework."

They sat in silence until she asked, more softly, "What happens after the two years?"

"We walk away. You go your way. I go mine."

She nodded, biting the inside of her cheek. "Good."

But neither of them sounded convinced.

The press conference went smoothly. They answered curated questions, laughed on cue, and held hands when necessary. But it was during the final question that things went off-script.

A reporter from Gossip Business Weekly stood.

"This one’s for Mrs. King. Considering your swift rise into public life and this sudden marriage, do you have any intentions of stepping into the corporate side of Kings Group?"

Isabella blinked. The question wasn’t on the sheet.

Bryan turned to her subtly, waiting.

She smiled gracefully. "I believe every woman should pursue what she’s passionate about. If the opportunity arises and I feel qualified, then yes, I may take a more active role."

The room buzzed with whispers. The billionaire's wife might enter the boardroom? Now that was a headline.

Afterward, Bryan caught her by the elevator.

"That wasn’t part of the plan."

"Neither was marrying you."

He stared at her, torn between frustration and fascination. "You want to join Kings Group?"

"I want to matter," she said. "Don’t you?"

Later that evening, Bryan returned to his penthouse. Isabella stayed behind at a charity event, fulfilling her role as the new face of Kings Group’s community wing.

He poured himself a drink and sat at his desk. The flash drive was still there.

Curious, he plugged it into his laptop. A single video file loaded.

He clicked play.

The screen flickered.

It was Lydia.

She sat in what looked like a hotel room. Her face was tired, makeup smudged, voice calm.

"Bryan. If you're watching this, it means I failed to stop the wedding. Or maybe I never planned to. But there’s something you need to know. About me. About everything we shared. About the night before your engagement."

His heart started racing.

"I didn’t walk away because of the news articles or because you were getting married. I walked away because I was paid to. Paid to make you fall. To leave when it hurts most. To disappear."

Bryan froze.

"There’s more to it. I didn’t take the money. Not at first. But I needed help. I was drowning. Then... someone showed up with an offer. I won’t say who. But they knew you. They wanted to break you."

Lydia looked away from the camera, visibly shaking.

"I’m sorry. I really did fall for you. But by the time I realized it, I was already part of the setup."

The screen went black.

Bryan leaned back, stunned. His chest tightened.

Someone had orchestrated Lydia’s disappearance. Someone in his circle.

He pulled up the security footage from the wedding venue.

Zoomed in.

There a man in a grey suit, speaking to Lydia just before she left.

He enhanced the image.

His blood ran cold.

It was Daniel.

His best man.