The CEO's Heiress

I had been dreaming of my wedding day since I was five years old. My best friend and I, Tomas, would play bride and groom every day. I thought once I might marry him if he hadn't realized he was gay in the sixth grade. Was he still my best friend, yes, but the idea of marrying him was out of the window. In fact, I was his maid of honor just a year ago and his husband was probably the best man in the world. Next to Marcus, of course. Marcus Yearling, my overly involved, great attention to detail, love at first sight, fiancé. We met when I was 20 and agreed to a five-year-long-engagement, so he could convince his uncle to give him a proper place in their company. He was no VP of sales, and it was good enough for me. Money had never been my concern, I was the heirs of the Edgington family, and my father loved me more than anything in this world. If only he was around more to enforce that. But that all ended today. I was about to secure my place in this world by marrying Marcus, and as soon as I said I do, we would be unstoppable. "Are you ready?" Tomas asked as I stood in front of the mirror admiring the dress once more. It had been my mother's with some modern updates. We got rid of the puffy sleeves, making them long and lacy instead. They put a stich in the neckline, so it was a sweetheart neckline, and showed off the beautiful necklace Marcus had given me two nights ago for my something new. It was also now a button up back instead of a zipper and about three layers of fabric had been removed, so it draped off my hips and fell in a cascading train behind me. The only thing I had added was a blue sash around my waist with real diamonds in a beautiful, elegant pattern for my something blue. The dress was something old, and the crown in my undo, holding in the vial, was my something borrowed, from my grandmother who would only give it to me when she died. Everything was going exactly as I hoped, and nothing could ruin this day for me. Nothing. A set of fingers snapped in my face and I blinked, looking at him. "Girl, are you ready? It's time for first looks." "Oh, yes, Yes I am." Tomas helped me down from the dias I had been standing on. He fanned out my dress, handed me the bouquett of roses, lilies and babies breath flowers. He led me out of the room and pointed towards the elevator that would take me down to where I needed to go. He was going to get the bridesmaids, and my stepsister who had, by no desire of my own, become my maid of honor. The elevator ride was short, sweet, and the smile on my face was not at all forced, like my step-mother's would be. The idea of irritating her might have made this a little better. I came out of the elevator, and out of the door that would lead to the place Marcus and I had picked for our first looks. The gardens of Edgington estate were the best in our city. I looked up, and the bouquett dropped my hands. Horror and pain looked back at me through the double paned windows that looked in on the ballroom. The place we would be retiring after the ceremony. The place our reception would be. When Tomas had asked me to come down for first looks, I hadn't excpted to find my fiance, and my maid of honor, kissing. No, not just kissing, entangeled like my grandmother's yarn had been when she was knitting. They didn't look to be coming up for air and I went through all the stages of greif at once, until I was able to move. The first thing I wanted to do was run in there and catch them, scold them and hit Marcus so hard he wouldn't wake up for a week. But as the intial shock left my body and only heartache remained, I knew what I had to do. It didn't matter that this would give Gwen a play for my role in the company with her own son. I wasn't going to be made a fool. I was the heiress of the Edgington family, and I had apprently been nice to her for to long. I slipped out my phone, from the hidden pocket I had sowen into the dress. I snapped three picutres of them, and bent down to pick up the bouquett of flowers. When I came up they were talking, but I couldn't hear what they were saying, and I couldn't risk them thinking I had seen them. I turned, put my nose into my flowers, schooling my face into passive resilance, and walked on. From the corner of my eye I saw Marcus rush Madison away, her sneak one more kiss and my fiance adjusting his suit. By the time I got to the gardens, Marcus was there, facing away from me. The camera man put me in my place at his back, and he reached back to take my hand. Reluctently, and with some tension, I took his hand. After a few pictures facing away, the camera man had us both turn to face one another, counted to three and caught our reactions as we turned to face each other. My smile didn'tr each my eyes, but I pretended to be so happy, and cute as he had always liked me to be. If he was playing, acting, or really surpised at how beautiful I was I couldn't know. I didn't know this man at all it seemed. But he gasped and awed, and when he came in for a kiss I didn't fight. I couldn't. Some more pictures, and his hands on my body making my stomach twist, and it was time to line up for the ceremony. "Tomas." I pulled my wedding planner, and best friend, away from the crowd as the girls got ready. Madison puffing up her chest, fixing her lipstick and her hair. I glared at her, as I pulled Tomas away from the crowd. He gave me that, have you lost your mind, look and I pulled up my phone. "When we get to the I dos, send this message to everyone." "Have you lost your mind, Elena? Are you trying to ruin your wedding?" He didn't even look at the message, giving me a really girl I put in so much work, look. "The short answer, yes. Will you do it for me?" I shoved the phone into his face, he sighed and took a look. All those looks went from irriation to pure rage. He clicked his tongue and looked back to the girls who were giggling and looking at one another. I knew that look to. I grabbed his arm before he could could beat Madison to a pulp and catch himself charges. "Don't worry, I am going to take care of it, but I need you to send this to everyone. Please?" "Oh, you don't have to ask. As soon as he asks if you do, I will hit send." Tomas took my phone and I sighed in relief. The pesession music began and the girls got ready, Madison taking up front of the pack, while I burned holes into the back of her head. Marcus hadn't realized it, but I had spent the last fifteen years resenting and hating my step-family. So when I saw him with my step sister it had unleashed all the furry I had bottled up inside me. My mother had asked me on her death bed to be good, pios and kind, which I had abided by for years now. Well, that was over. I was done being walked over and played for a fool and allowing Madison to get everything. For my father believing everything Gwen said, even down to saying Mason was good and hadn't tried to kiss me when I was fifteen. Or that he would never try to do anything mean to me, when he was in fact trying to have his way with me when I was sixteen and "looking like a full grown woman" and "needed a real man in my life." I had concocted a plan very quickly after taking those pictures, while smiling and taking picutres with him in the garden. Step one, humiliate him on our wedding day. Step two, beg my father to understand which I hoped if he loved me as much as he said wouldn't be hard. Step three, find someone else to marry in three weeks because that was how long my father would be around. The music switched to the wedding march, and all the butterflies in my stomach were for another reason. Letting out a breath I stepped into the doorway, held my head high, flowers in front of me and started down the aisle. His simling face was nausiating, and I would have clawed his eyes out if I had it in me. Instead I waited until my father stood up and met me on the aisle to finish walking me to Marcus. It was tradition for the Edgington father's not to go to their daughters until they were handing her off. A way of showing she could stand on her own without her daddy. I kissed his cheek and leaned into his ear. "Whatever is about to happy, just know it is for the best and I love you." I didn't give him time to answer as Marcus took my hand and I stood up beside him. "Who gives this woman away?" The officiant asked. My father, stunned and still confused, cleared his throat and looked prouder then ever. "I do." The crowd clapped lightly, I thanked him again and looked at our officiant. "Alright, you all may be seated now." My father took his place beside my step-mother and the rest of the guests sat down. The offciant waited until the hall was quiet before he continued. "Welcome, friends, family, and more. We are gathered here today to join Elena Edgington and Marcus Yearling in holy matromony..." The officiant droaned on with his introduction before had us face each other and cleared his throat asking Marcus to repeat his words. "I, Marcus Yearling, take you Elena Edgington, to be my lawfully wedded wife. To have and to hold. To love and to Cheerish. In sickness and in health, until death do us part." He slid a ring onto my finger, and it stung. Sharp, cold metal that felt like a handcuff. Only a few more minutes Elena. I looked to Tomas, because i couldn't say those words. He gave me a nod and as the officient began I repeated. "I, Elena Edgington, do not take you Marcus Yearling to be my lawfully wedded husband." There were gasps of horror as I pulled away from him and looked to the crowd. Phones began to buzz and chime. Everyone looked at me as I pulled off my ring. "Go ahead, look." "Marcus? What is this?" His elder brother, Paul, asked from behind him. Marcus looked around, then to Madison, than to me. He was in shock, I could see it. I tossed the ring to him and stepped away as he came for me again. "That is Marcus and Madison just before the wedding began. I saw them, and they looked mighty chummy for two people who hate each other. Turns out I was the fool in this case." I felt the tears now and looked at my father who was angry, but not at me. He had fire in his eyes at Marcus and I felt some relief at that. I looked the crowd and cleared my throat. "The wedding is over, but we have food and drinks in the reception hall if you'd like to enjoy the rest of your day. You did take your time out of your day to be here. It'll just be an unengament party instaed." "Elena!" Marcus yelled form behind me and I froze in place...