The Bride She Should've Been

The Taste of Contempt

Seeing that I ignored them, Eleanor tapped Lucas on the arm. "Lucas, enough. Ethan's had a rough time. I heard his family kicked him out. He doesn't even have a job right now. That's why he looks a little shabby. You can't mock him for that."

I froze, unsure where she had heard such nonsense.

Then it hit me. Back at my wedding, Eleanor had caused such a scene that my mother's heart condition flared up, landing her in the hospital.

My father, furious, had kicked me out of the house, telling me to go reflect on my mistakes and stop being a burden.

He had even forced me out of the family business, insisting I learn to survive on my own. I had to prove myself before I could think of inheriting anything.

Yeah, I had been down and out.

"Ah, so that's how it was." Lucas sneered, his lips curling in smug satisfaction.

He grabbed a bottle of fine red wine from the table, uncorked it, and poured himself a glass. The rich aroma filled the room.

"I had a friend bring this all the way from Aetheria's vineyard. Excellent wine. Everyone should try it," he said, deliberately looking at me. "Ethan, you should taste it too. I guess it's been years since you've had anything this good, right?"

A certain someone just wouldn't get it. I ignored him, and he still shoved his face in my way, begging to be slapped.

I tilted my head and muttered a few words to the server. He nodded immediately and left the room with a respectful bow.

This hotel was mine. Well, technically, it had been a gift from my wife, Gemma.

Back then, my wedding had been a chaotic mess, mirrored by a similar spectacle in the hall next door. But that one had been orchestrated by Gemma.

Lucas had pursued her relentlessly, and they were set to marry. But Gemma had always suspected he was only after her money.

So, before the wedding, she told him she had a terminal illness and that her days were numbered. She said she would leave only a portion of her estate to her parents and donate the rest.

Lucas instantly regretted everything. At the last minute, he ran off to our wedding, performing some melodramatic act and whisking Eleanor away.

After they left, I ran into Gemma, still in her wedding dress, next door.

On a whim, I asked her, "Do you want to switch grooms?"

And just like that, Gemma and I had a whirlwind wedding.

Life after that was blissfully normal. She gave me twins soon after.

When she learned my father had thrown me out, she handed over this hotel for me to manage.

"This is a wedding gift," she said. "If you lose money on it, I'll kick you out myself."

Luckily, my studies in business management had paid off.

In just three years, I had not only kept the hotel profitable but also expanded with several branches. Gemma was pleased.

And now, someone had the audacity to swagger into my hotel and act like they owned the place. He was about to learn the cost of that arrogance.

The door clicked, and a server in white gloves approached, carefully holding a bottle of wine. "Boss, here's the '82 Lafite you requested."