Chapter 9
Just when I thought there was no way their farce of a wedding would actually happen, the universe hit me with another curveball.
The very next day, Alexis transferred my compensation–in full.
Right after that, Cecilia’s social media blew up with a flurry of official confirmations. The bridal boutique, the hotel, even the wedding planner’s page all posted the same thing: “Payment received.”
I stared at my phone, stunned.
Where in the Moon Goddess’s name did Alexis get that kind of money?
Naturally, the internet went feral.
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Every new twist in this soap opera of a scandal had people hooked like it was the season finale of Alpha Affairs. Pack forums, rogue chat threads, even the neutral territories were buzzing. Spectators couldn’t get enough–gossip this juicy only came once every few blood moons.
Wedding Day.
As promised, Cecilia went live. But this time, something was off.
Gone was the smug, glowing bride–to–be. Her energy was shaky, and her hands trembled just enough to throw the whole livestream into chaos. The camera zoomed in too far and jittered, but that didn’t stop sharp–eyed viewers from noticing something strange about her dress.
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“Is it just me or do the gems look super patchy?”
“Wait… this isn’t the same dress from the pre–wedding shoot, right?”
“It looks like it’s been stuffed in a bag for a week. No steam? No filter either?”
“And the venue–where’s the crowd? Why’s it so quiet?”
“Cecilia, give us a full view of the hall! Let’s see the setup!”
She ignored the chat and walked offscreen.
Then came the voices–familiar and panicked.
“Are the guests here yet?” That was Alexis, no mistaking that voice.
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“Mr Alexis, someone replied, “I checked the entrance. None of the people you mentioned have arrived. It’s almost time. Should we start calling?”
“Yeah. Okay!”
Cue the awkward flurry of phone calls.
“Oswald? Hey, we’re starting soon–where are you?”
“…No time? Uh… what about your gift? And the red envelope? Oswald? Hello?”
“Ivor? Not coming? Wait, you said you’d bring your mate–no, I mean–okay, but your gift-”
I watched, frozen.
Was I seriously witnessing Alexis chasing
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down guests for red envelopes–before the ceremony even began?
A deep, satisfied sigh escaped me. I hadn’t known it then, but I’d never been more grateful for my family’s quick thinking. They’d personally contacted every relative and ally in our pack, explaining everything. If they hadn’t, Alexis might’ve walked away with a small fortune in wedding gifts–mine included. I would’ve howled in rage.
Meanwhile, the comments section was in meltdown:
“WTF is going on?! No one showed up?!”
“This guy’s literally begging for money at his own wedding–how is he an Alpha heir again?”
“Wasn’t there supposed to be a lucky fan
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led–29q
e? Is anyone even there??”
mbed then, a witness dropped the bomb:
0990 5
where. It’s so awkward, I’m getting
Decondhand embarrassment. There’s maybe one full table of their friends. The rest?
mpty.”
This isn’t the original venue, either. It’s way smaller–barely ten tables total. They’re using clever camera angles to hide it.”
“Cecilia’s dress looks awful up close. What happened to the original designer?”
“We are the original designer. That mess she’s wearing? She destroyed the original on her own. Don’t blame us.”
Just when I thought the disaster had peaked, the livestream caught a sudden commotion
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ar the entrance.
xcuse me, which one of you is Alexis Purry?”
That’s me, officer. What’s going on?”
‘You’re being charged with embezzlement by the Silverpine Packhouse. The amount is substantial. We have documented proof. Please come with us.”
“Officer–wait! This is a misunderstanding! That’s my family’s packhouse!”
“Your family’s? You’re not even a Burgess. Your surname’s Curry, correct?”
“Well… no, but I married into the family-
“So, you’re today’s groom. And the bride is Cecilia, correct? That means you’re also
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facing a bigamy charge.”
“No! Wait! I mean–yes, I was engaged to Eloise Burgess, but now I’m marrying someone else. We’re still… kind of family, right?”
And for once, I didn’t feel hurt. I felt vindicated. Blessed.
I may have lost a mate… but I just dodged a disaster.
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