The Billionaire’s Rejected Bride

The music stopped. Emma Carter stood at the end of the aisle, staring at the man who was supposed to become her husband. For a few seconds, she couldn't understand what she was seeing. Adrian Black wasn't looking at her. He was looking at someone standing beside the altar. Her half-sister. Sophia. Emma's fingers tightened around the bouquet of white roses. "Adrian?" Her voice trembled through the enormous church. Hundreds of guests turned toward her. Adrian finally looked at Emma. There was no love in his eyes. No regret. Only cold determination. "I'm sorry, Emma." A whisper traveled through the church. Emma felt the blood drain from her face. "What did you say?" Adrian took a slow breath. "I can't marry you." Someone in the crowd gasped. Emma stared at him as though he had suddenly become a stranger. "But we're getting married." She forced a small laugh. "This isn't funny." Adrian didn't smile. "I never said it was." Her heart began pounding. She looked toward her father. "What's happening?" Daniel Carter lowered his head. He couldn't meet her eyes. That was when Emma understood. They all knew. Her father knew. Sophia knew. Adrian knew. Everyone knew except her. Emma turned toward Sophia. Her half-sister was wearing a champagne-colored dress. A wedding dress. Emma's wedding dress. "You..." Sophia stepped forward. "I'm sorry." "No." Emma shook her head. "No, you're not." Sophia's eyes filled with fake tears. "Emma, please." "You knew?" Silence. "How long?" Sophia didn't answer. Emma looked at Adrian. "How long?" "Three months." Three months. The words struck harder than a slap. Three months ago, Adrian had held Emma's hands and promised that she was the only woman he would ever love. Three months ago, he had kissed her forehead and told her they would build a life together. Three months ago, he had already been planning to marry Sophia. Emma felt something inside her break. "You were sleeping with my sister?" Adrian's jaw tightened. "Don't make this uglier than it already is." Emma stared at him. "Uglier?" Her voice rose. "You destroyed me in front of everyone I know, and you're worried about making it ugly?" The church became completely silent. Sophia stepped closer. "Emma, Adrian loves me." Emma looked at her. "Then why didn't you tell me?" Sophia lowered her eyes. "I was afraid." "Afraid of what?" "Of losing you." Emma laughed bitterly. "You already did." She dropped the bouquet. The roses scattered across the polished floor. One by one. Like pieces of her heart. She turned toward the doors. "Emma!" Her father finally spoke. She stopped. "Please don't leave like this." She slowly turned around. "You knew." Daniel said nothing. "You knew your daughter was being betrayed, and you said nothing." His lips parted. "Emma..." "No." She wiped away a tear before anyone could see it fall. "Don't call me your daughter today." Then she walked away. Outside, rain had begun to fall. Emma stepped onto the church stairs without an umbrella. Her wedding dress quickly became soaked. She didn't care. She walked until she couldn't hear the church anymore. Until she couldn't hear the whispers. Until she couldn't hear Adrian calling her name. Her phone vibrated. Then again. And again. She finally looked at the screen. Twenty-seven missed calls. She switched it off. For the first time in her life, Emma had nowhere to go. Her apartment belonged to Adrian. Her father's company was collapsing. Her savings were almost gone. And now the man she had trusted most had married her sister. She walked into a small hotel near the city center. The receptionist looked at her wedding dress. "Are you okay, ma'am?" Emma forced a smile. "No." The receptionist hesitated. Emma almost laughed. At least one person had asked. She paid for the cheapest room available and went upstairs. The moment the door closed behind her, she collapsed. She cried until her chest hurt. Until her eyes burned. Until there were no tears left. Hours later, she sat beside the window, staring at the city. Her phone was still switched off. She had no idea what she would do tomorrow. Then someone knocked. Emma frowned. She wasn't expecting anyone. Another knock. "Miss Carter?" She opened the door slightly. A tall man stood in the hallway. Black suit. Perfect posture. Cold eyes. He looked completely out of place in the cheap hotel. "Who are you?" The man handed her a black envelope. "My employer would like to speak with you." "Who is your employer?" The man simply answered: "Ethan Blake." Emma froze. Everyone knew that name. Ethan Blake. Thirty-one years old. Billionaire. CEO of Blake International. A man whose business empire stretched across three continents. A man known for being ruthless. "I don't know him." The stranger looked at her wedding dress. "Perhaps not." He glanced at the envelope. "But he knows you." Emma stared at him. "Why?" "I don't know." "Then why should I speak to him?" The man stepped back. "Because Mr. Blake believes you will want to hear his proposal." Emma almost closed the door. Then she noticed something written on the envelope. Her name. But underneath it was another name. A name she hadn't heard in years. Her mother's. Emma's heart stopped. She looked up. "How does Ethan Blake know my mother?" The man said nothing. He simply turned and walked away. Emma slowly closed the door. Then she opened the envelope. Inside was a single sheet of paper. Eight words were written across it. I can save your family. But you must marry me.