Emery’s POV

I squeezed my eyes closed as I walked slowly down the red carpet.

It was my wedding day, yet my heart was only full of bitterness.

The cold wind was embracing me, touching my bare skin that wasn’t covered by the white wedding dress I was wearing. The veil was completely covering my whole face as the crowd watched me walk down the aisle.

I don’t know them and it’s making me even more miserable.

“What does it feel to marry a man for money? You’re always calling me a gold digger but it turns out you’re also one.” That was what my evil and pretentious stepmom said when she heard that I had an agreement with a man twice my age for money to save my mom’s company.

The situation is making me want to hurt everyone around me. I want to pull my stepmom’s hair until she’s completely bald and throw her out of my father’s house ruthlessly.

“Don’t be nervous. You’re doing the right thing for our family, Em.” That was what my dad said when he drove for me to get to this venue.

I smiled bitterly underneath the veil. Doing the right thing? This is the wrong thing I could barely swallow just to save the only thing my mother handed down to me.

My dad seemed so proud that I was doing this to save my mom’s company. It was all his stupid stepson’s fault anyway. If he hadn’t loaned a huge amount of money and used my mom’s company as collateral, this would never happen to me.

Today I’m marrying a man twice my age and he sent a representative instead of attending this damn wedding himself.

Speaking of my supposed husband’s representative, I looked at the man waiting for me at the end of the aisle.

A handsome man who was smiling sweetly like an idiot was standing there. I’d say he’s a good actor for smiling genuinely like that. My eyes raked his whole– from his hair down to his face and body. He has brown curly hair. He has sharp jaws, thick eyebrows, a blue pair of eyes, a pointed nose, reddish thin lips, and dimples on his left cheek.

He’s undeniably gorgeous but the fact that he’s only a representative and my real husband is almost like my dad makes me feel so pathetic. This desperation wouldn’t have come to another level if my father hadn’t betrayed me, giving my position to his stupid stepson who’s addicted to gambling.

I felt tears rolling down my cheeks which I quickly wiped. I’m gonna give myself to a man I don’t even like. How pathetic could that be?

I stopped in front of him and he held my hand, intertwining our fingers.

My forehead creased because of what he did. He’s taking this pretension to another level, isn't he? I tried to shrug his hand off but he glanced at me and my lips parted when he kissed the back of my hand after we stopped in front at the end of the aisle.

What was wrong with this guy? Did he remember he was only a representative? Who gave him the guts to do that to me?

I tried to pull my hand back again and I saw his forehead crease as he stared at my hand as if realizing something but the ceremony started, interrupting our thoughts.

I just ignored the weird man beside me. We wouldn't meet anymore after the ceremony anyway.

The ceremony goes on until it’s time to exchange wedding rings and vows. His face showed confusion again when I said my vows. When it was time to lift my veil, he was slow and seemed hesitant and it’s making me irritated.

I had no idea what he had to worry about as just a representative. I need no one to stress what a disgrace this wedding will be in my life. There were no better options for me and I just hoped to skip this shameful part quickly. Is this too much to ask?

Thank goodness, he finally remembered his duty and lifted my veil. But it was also at the same moment when he saw my face, all the confusion in his eyes turned to shock and anger.

"You're not Anne! Who are you?!"

***Terrence’s POV

I had expected this day for a long time. The wedding day of Anne and me.

Yet at this moment, no words to describe my shock when a totally strange face appeared under the veil.

This woman is a beauty but exactly not my bride. Who the hell is she? Why is she at my wedding and more importantly, where is my bride?

“Sir, your bride ran away.” Dan, my assistant whispered to me when he went beside me…

“What—”

“But your father said you have to continue the ceremony. You just got appointed as the President of Empire Gray. A false bride will create a big scandal and will put your current position at risk.”

I clenched my jaws and looked at my dad who was watching silently. My eyes then went to the crowd and they were all anticipating the kiss. Fck!

My wedding is private. Even the identity of my bride is a secret from the public and they don’t have any idea that this woman isn’t supposed to be my bride.

I squeezed my eyes closed and looked at the woman in front of me again. She was looking at me with a creased forehead. Fck! Is she crazy? Does she even know that I’m not her supposed groom? What kind of man is she fcking marrying that she didn’t seem to know his looks.

Wait…was she sent by someone to pretend as my bride? This woman must be one of those girls obsessed with me.

Marrying Anne is my dream but I’ve also been dreaming of being the President of my father’s company since I was a little boy. I worked so hard to get in that position and I won’t let it go. Besides, my father would definitely punish me harshly if I dared dishonor our family in public. Anyway, take it as a stupid show and I can just get rid of this woman after this fcking wedding.

“Kiss me,” I whispered, clenching my jaws.

She shot an eyebrow up even when she looked shocked because of what I said.

I don’t wanna cheat on Anne, so I don't want to start this kiss first. But damn! This woman is so dumb!

I gritted my teeth and put my arms around her waist. Without further ado, I pulled her closer to me, angled my face, and claimed her lips. I kissed her rough, punishing her for pretending as my bride and she fcking bit my lip, making it bleed.

Shit!

“What the f—” I paused and looked around, realizing I cursed out loud. I awkwardly laughed and pulled the woman’s waist closer, smirking at her which shocked her again.

“You’re too hungry for me, baby. Can’t wait for our honeymoon?”