Replacing My Cheating Bride At The Alta

The first notes of the wedding march trembled in the air.

My phone lit up with a voice message from Olivia Hill. Her voice was syrup-sweet. "Ethan, darling, I'm just preparing a little surprise for you."

Standing at the altar, I ran my thumb over the velvet box in my palm. Four hours crawled by.

Then, my phone buzzed. An unknown number. A flood of photos.

There was my bride. Her pristine white gown was hiked up around her waist. She was tangled in the sheets of our marital bed—with her new male secretary. The oversized wedding portrait on the headboard smiled down at the scene like a silent accomplice.

A cold fury settled in my veins. I took a screenshot and sent it right back to her.

Is this the surprise?

A little bold for the day of the wedding, don't you think? Or do you think your family's stock price can afford another scandal?

The phone rang instantly. Olivia was breathless, annoyed. "Ethan, for God's sake, it's a business merger. We just have to play our parts. Why are you being so dramatic?"

In the background, Liam Lowell's mocking laugh was unmistakable. "See? New money never understands how the game is played. Did you actually expect fidelity?"

I ended the call.

Opening my social media, I posted a single photo: a selfie with the stunning wedding venue behind me. Pure white roses lined the endless aisle. Crystal chandeliers sparkled like a constellation overhead. The caption was simple:

The bride is a no-show. Any takers for the vacancy?

The moment I hit post, the roar of high-performance engines shattered the quiet outside. A fleet of limited-edition hypercars screeched to a halt. Doors flew open in unison. A procession of society's most dazzling heiresses, each more radiant than the last, stepped onto the red carpet, bouquets in hand.

"Mr. Roscente, am I to your liking?"

"Choose me. The Winston fortune offers a three-billion-dollar dowry."

"The Sterling family will add two percent of our corporate shares."

My phone began to vibrate incessantly—Olivia, again and again. I powered it off and tossed the ring box to my best man.

"Pick a new one."

"Now."

Just then, Olivia's parents, Noah and Emma Hill, rushed up in a panic. "Ethan! Where is she? The music has started!"

I turned my phone screen toward them. Emma's face went sheet-white. Still, she sputtered, "This is your fault! You couldn't even keep your own fiancée entertained!"

Noah wrung his hands, a desperate smile plastered on his face. "Let's be reasonable. The capital injection... we can still proceed if the wedding goes off without a hitch. We'll make sure Olivia toes the line."

I gave a cold, sharp laugh. "The Hill family's funding is officially cut off. You'll have to find another piggy bank to break."