Claire had never met the CEO formally. She had only seen him from a distance at massive corporate retreats or on the cover of financial magazines, usually wearing sharp, bespoke suits, his expression unreadable.
She had absolutely no idea that the “average guy” Ethan—the man whose grandmother’s ring she had mocked, the man whose financial status she constantly sneered at—was Ethan Whitmore.
When Ethan and I first met, he had introduced himself simply as “Ethan,” a guy who worked in “corporate logistics.” He wanted someone to love him for who he was, not for the zeroes in his bank account. By the time he finally revealed his true identity to me, a year into our relationship, I was already deeply in love with the man who made me coffee and listened to me complain about my non-profit grant proposals. The money didn’t matter to me.
We had agreed to keep his identity quiet from my family until after the wedding. I knew exactly how my parents would react—they would become fawning sycophants. And I knew how Claire would react—she would make my entire wedding about her career.
But today, the secret was coming out.
“I think the dress is perfect, Claire,” I said smoothly, my voice completely devoid of the insecurity she was trying to mine. I turned back to the mirror, adjusting my simple pearl earrings. “It suits exactly who I am.”
Claire rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed that her attack hadn’t drawn blood. “Suit yourself. I’m going to go find a drink. This lighting is giving me a headache.”
She turned and marched out of the bridal suite.
A moment later, the soft, swelling notes of a string quartet began to drift through the heavy oak doors from the grand chapel down the hall. The trilling piano notes signaled that the guests were seated.
My mother hurriedly walked over, her face pale with anxiety. She pushed me gently toward the door. “Let’s go, Hannah. It’s time.”
I took a deep breath, smoothing the skirt of my “cheap” satin dress. I walked forward, a genuine, radiant smile breaking across my face. I knew exactly what was waiting at the end of the aisle.
And I knew that Claire’s worst nightmare was standing right beside it.
