My Wealthy Groom Ruined My Wedding Dress, But My Childhood Love Restored My Freedom
Previously: Ruined and covered in mud, Jessica screamed 'I am done' at her high-society wedding. But a smirk from an old friend was about to change her entire life.
The Price of Deception
Richard Sterling rushed into the hall, his face flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and rage. He looked at Jessica's ruined dress, then at the wealthy investors and socialites who were staring at them. To Richard, appearances were everything, and his bride looked like she had just crawled out of a swamp.
"What is the meaning of this, Jessica?" Richard hissed, grabbing her by the wrist. "You are making a complete fool of yourself. Go upstairs, let the maids clean you up, and put on the reception dress. We have a contract to sign."
Jessica yanked her arm back, her eyes flashing with anger. Just twenty minutes earlier, she had gone to the stables to clear her head, only to overhear Richard and his mother discussing their true plans. They didn't care about her; they only wanted her family’s historic ranchland. When she had confronted Richard, his groomsmen had tried to block her path, shoving her into the muddy paddock during the struggle. Richard had simply laughed, telling her she had no choice but to marry him if she wanted to save her father from bankruptcy.
Now, standing in the grand hall, Jessica was ready to expose him. But before she could speak, Richard’s mother, Eleanor, stepped forward. "Quiet this girl down," Eleanor demanded. "She is a commoner who doesn't understand how things work. If she walks out, her father loses everything by tomorrow morning."
That was when Luke finally stepped away from the marble pillar. His heavy boots thudded against the floor, drawing everyone's attention. Richard sneered as the cowboy approached. "Get this stable hand out of here," Richard ordered the security guards.
But Luke didn't back down. Instead, he reached into his jacket and pulled out a legal document, holding it up for Richard to see. "You might want to look at this before you call your guards, Richard," Luke said calmly. "Because as of nine o'clock this morning, you don't own the Thorne family debt anymore. I do."
”"Because as of nine o'clock this morning, you don't own the Thorne family debt anymore. I do."