The Billionaire's Runaway Heiress

The air inside St. Augustine’s Cathedral hung warm and weighty, saturated with the rich, almost overwhelming fragrance of lilies. Sunlight poured through the towering stained-glass windows, refracting into vibrant shards of colour that danced across the seating arrangements and ahead of the massive double doors.And at the altar a movie-perfect couple stood, smiling and stealing gazes at each other. Everyone seemed so excited, smiling from ear to ear. The day was almost perfect--nice weather, a soft breeze, and a colourful scene. Then there was me--and in case you were wondering, I wasn't the bride standing at the altar, yet this was my freaking wedding day!It wasn’t supposed to be like this. This was not the wedding I dreamt of. I had imagined a celebration, one of joy and hope, where my family, my friends, and most of all, he—David—would smile at me with nothing but affection, and we’d begin our new life together and forever in perfect harmony. Forever. I had once believed in that word. Now, it felt like a cruel joke. Instead, here I stood dumbstruck outside the cathedral as passers-by stared at me as though I was mad, but honestly, that was the least of my worries. I stood at the steps, gasping for breath, my chest heaving after a chase that felt more like a desperate escape through the wild. I must’ve looked like a ghost of myself—my once-pristine gown now stained and torn, the hem frayed and caked in dirt. Mascara streaks mixed with dried tears painted a chaotic map across my face. “I will forever cherish you, Kylie Lorraine." The groom's voice was loud and clear. I froze, my chest rising and falling as I recognized the voice. David. My David.What was he doing at our wedding without a bride?With all my remaining strength I pushed open the massive door and just in the nick of time, the priest's voice rang out: “If anyone knows why these two should not be married, let them speak now or forever hold your peace.” Despite the loud voice of the priest, I could still hear the whispers from the crowd.“Who is she?”“What’s going on?”“Is that…?” Taking a deep breath, I raised my voice, clear and unwavering despite the chaos bubbling inside me. “I do!”Every inch of me screamed with rage, and yet, I walked forward with a calmness I didn’t understand, toward the man who had betrayed me. “I don’t support this marriage,” my voice echoed through the hall. The low music stopped. The priest looked bewildered. My groom, my David, stood tall at the altar, cloaked in an impeccably tailored black tuxedo. His hair was neatly combed back, but his face was pale, almost ghostly.Beside him, in a cloud of lace and smugness, was a bride—Kylie. The woman he’d sworn to me was just his cousin.The woman he had chosen instead of me.I knew almost nothing about her, yet here she was, moments away from claiming the life I had dreamed of, the future I had been so certain was mine. Somehow, while I’d been lost in the delusion of our perfect love story, she had slithered her way into David’s heart and taken everything from me.And now I stood in the shadows of my own shattered fairy tale, humiliated and heartbroken. “He is my... my…” my hand went over my mouth in embarrassment. Announcing that this man was my fiancé would not only make me look deranged but would be the same as me admitting that this betrayal was real. It was the latter that bothered me the most.David turned as pale as the lilies lining the aisle, his jaw clenching. His face was drained of colour. He looked like he’d seen a ghost. Kylie’s smile froze, her confusion evident. The crowd stared in shock, and the whispers started again louder this time. “Vanessa?” David’s voice broke, his usual confidence stripped bare. His lips barely moved, but his eyes pleaded. “What are you—”All ears listened closer, waiting to hear about the scandal, but my gaze zeroed in on one person. David. I stopped in the middle of the aisle, my voice cold as I addressed the crowd, my eyes never leaving David’s face. “I’m Vanessa Sanders, and David Lorraine is my fiancé. He gave me the wrong venue for our wedding today, and I had to run across town to find this place.” My breath came in ragged bursts, my voice trembling with anger and frustration. "And why is this--" I pointed dramatically at the stunned bride standing beside David in her white dress, she was frowning now, “this… impostor is wearing my ring? I demand to know who this woman is, David. She doesn't seem to be your cousin anymore than I." Everyone had words on their lips, speaking to whoever cared to listen, the murmurs grew louder and louder. “Security!” An older man, presumably Kyle’s father, shot to his feet in the front row. “Get this madwoman out of here before she ruins everything!” “Vanessa!” David snapped his tone a warning now. He stepped down from the altar, his hand extended toward me like he thought he could stop me. “You’re making a scene. Let’s—”“A scene?” I laughed bitterly. “Oh, David, you haven’t seen anything yet.” I turned my attention to Kylie who was watching me with irritation and unease. “And you,” I said, pointing a trembling finger at her. “Who the hell do you think you are?”Kylie's face flushed crimson, but she lifted her chin. “I’m his wife,” she said haughtily as if that title gave her the right to exist in my place. “Wife?” I repeated, my voice rising. “All I can see is a watered-down replacement, you conniving little—”“Vanessa, listen—” David tried saving the one he chose over me.“Listen? Listen?!” My voice cracked, but I refused to falter. “Do you know what I went through to get here? My car conveniently broke down, my heel snapped, and I had no cab money—all because you gave me the wrong venue for my wedding!” The murmurs in the onlookers turned into outright gossip, the crowd drinking in every word.The older man from earlier screamed out louder that all his veins could be seen. Two burly men in black suits approached me, but I wasn’t done. I pushed toward David, who dared to look guilty but not enough to speak. “David!” I yelled, my voice cracking. “How could you? I gave up everything for you—my family, my inheritance—everything! And this is how you repay me?” He didn’t respond, his jaw tightening. I wanted to slap the smugness off his face, to make him feel just a fraction of the pain he’d caused me. “I thought I loved you,” I continued, my voice raw. “But I see it now. You’re nothing but a coward. A liar. And a gigolo.” David tried to act nice and hold me to calm down. But it made me even more furious and I slapped him. “Vanessa, stop!” Kylie screeched, stepping forward and feeling like a superhero coming to save the day, her veil trailing behind her. “You stay out of this,” I snarled, rounding on her. “I don’t care who you are. What kind of person walks down the aisle with a man she knows is already engaged?”“She’s my wife!” David shouted, his voice breaking through the din.“Not yet!” I snapped back, advancing on him. “I chose you over my future, David. And this—this is how you repay me?” Kylie opened her mouth to speak again, and this time I didn’t give her the chance. My hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of her perfectly curled hair, “Let go of me, you crazy b***h!” she shrieked, clawing at my hand and before anyone could stop me, I tossed her down onto the altar steps.The room exploded into chaos. People stood from their seats, gasping, shouting, trying to intervene. “Oh, I’m the crazy one?” I laughed bitterly, dragging her to her feet before shoving her away. “You’re marrying a man who couldn’t even bother breaking up with his fiancée before moving on to you!” The guards didn’t wait for my approval this time. They seized me by the arms and dragged me toward the doors, my screams punctuating their retreat.“I gave up everything for you, David!” I shouted, kicking and struggling against their grip. “My name, my inheritance—you don’t deserve a minute of my time, let alone my life!”David’s mother, sitting stiffly in the front pew, finally snapped. “You’re nothing but a penniless brat!” she spat, her voice carrying over the commotion. “Don’t act like you’re some prize. You’re lucky my son ever looked at you!”Her words hit me like a slap. “Let go of me!” I screamed, kicking and struggling, but they were too strong.I was thrown out onto the steps of the church, the doors slamming shut behind me with a finality that felt like a death sentence. For a moment, I just stood there, staring blankly at the stained glass windows, my breathing ragged, my heart shattered.Then I ripped off the bottom of my dress, the fabric tearing with a satisfying sound. I needed to move, to act, to do something. I wasn’t going to cry. Not now. Not here. If they wanted me to be the villain, then fine. I’d give them a villain.As I walked away from the church, barefoot and broken, one thought burned in my mind.I’d get my revenge no matter what it took.