The Billionaire’s Pawn

STRIKER

I almost had a major heart attack. Maybe that was the feeling of dying when you couldn’t breathe, your heart was crushing, and you started seeing blackness.

The humiliation didn’t occur to me at that time. All I could think of was, why was she breaking my heart? Why at this moment when we were about to be husband and wife?

Right now, I watched her dance with Dad after I had our first dance earlier as husband and wife.

I respected her decision of not inviting her father, but I still wished Linus was here as he witnessed how happy her daughter was with me. He was the reason why I had my wife right now, so I still owed him.

Looking at London dancing with Dad was beautiful and heartwarming. And I still pinched myself that that woman was my wife.

“Are you okay?” Linden joined me.

“Yeah. Why?”

“Well, considering what happened earlier, I thought you needed to sit down.”

I chuckled. “When are you going to get married, Linden? I mean, how many weddings of your friends you’ve attended? But never yours.”

“No pressure, huh?” He was my best man because I couldn’t think of anyone. He had been there for me through thick and thin. What we had was beyond blood-it was sacred. He was my brother, after all.

Moses replaced Dad. London welcomed him with open arms. I was touched when she chose Moses to walk her down the aisle. My relationship with my father was strained from the start, but I’d come to realize that time had healed everything, and here we were, taking our time. And maybe this was what maturity looked like.

“Well, buddy. Maybe you should go and dance with your wife.” Sax put his arm around my shoulder.

“You should get married, Sax.”

“Sax? Maybe his soulmate is in another universe.” Kye joined in.

“I’m happy for you, brother, but don’t count on us,” Sax said.

“Don’t close any doors yet. Guys sometimes marry late. I’m still counting on all of you.” I smirked.

Linden, Sax, and Kye shared looks as if I was crazy.

I shrugged as I walked away from them. “Never say never.”

I reached the dance floor covered with petals. When you had money, things seemed possible. I argued with Moses first. I didn’t want him to spend money because it was my wedding day. Since Linus was out of the picture, I could cover all the expenses, but it was our wedding gift from the father, who was never in the picture for twenty-seven years. I thought maybe, this was his second chance.

“May I have a dance with my wife?”My wife. It still sounded strange to my ears, but this was it. I was married. I just made my vows to a beautiful woman who almost caused me a heart attack.

“Congratulations. Guard your marriage with love and trust.” Moses handed her to me.

“Thank you.” I took my wife’s hand.

“Hey, sweetheart.” She changed from her beautiful wedding gown into an ethereal chiffon white dress. When she smiled like that, it took my breath away.

“Hey, baby.” As she placed her hand on my palm, I put my other hand on her back, then closed the gap between us, making her gasp.

“Okay, cowboy.” She widened her eyes at me but still smiled, the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen tonight.

“You almost give me a cardiac arrest, Vanderford.”

Her smile faded. Pain crossed her eyes.

“It’s okay. I forgave you.”

She took her hand and wrapped her arms around my neck instead. “I’m so so sorry.”

“It’s okay. No more crying, okay?”

“If I cried, maybe it was tears of joy.”

“We can agree on that.” I kissed her on the cheek, and we got back to dancing.

“It’s beautiful here,” she said, looking up at the sky. The reception was supposed to be in the tent, but I knew the sky would be clear tonight, and the night sky was perfect and majestic.

“Moses offered his house to us. He will move to another property if we take his offer.”

“The Chateau? He’s giving us the chateau?” She looked surprised. So did I when he told me.

“Too big for us, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. The maintenance and bills alone would be too much.”

She was practical. I liked that. I suddenly remember what we did in that room, making me smile. “He’ll pay for everything, but I love my house. We can go and visit him there once in a while and enjoy the room accommodation, right? Like once a month.”

“Why are you smiling at me like that?”

“I thought it was a pretty room.”

“Silly.” She smiled back, closing our gap. Our lips almost touched as she whispered. “You’re naughty tonight, Cade.”

I kissed her lips. “I can’t wait to be alone with you.” We swayed back to the music and did her spin. After that, we went to our table.

The meals were delicious. I didn’t realize we were both starving until the menu was served.

“Thank you for making my dream intimate wedding come true.”

“I was afraid I wouldn’t meet your expectation.”

London held my hand, squeezing it before she placed it against her cheek, and gave me that teary-eyed look. “It exceeded my exception, and I love everything about this. Thank you.”

“Anything for you, my wife.”

“We’re married. I’m a wife. I have a husband,” she chanted as she looked at her hand with her rings. “Oh, my God. I’m married. Well, damn.”

Linden tapped the spoon against the glass, catching everyone’s attention. Then he stood up. “I just want to say congratulations to the newlyweds. The first time I met Cade, we didn’t get along immediately. I thought he looked like a rich kid. What was he doing here? Not that I’m against it, but when you get to know this man, he has a big heart. He would never leave you hanging.”

I looked at all my friends, Beck and Maeve, sitting beside each other. Mykel and Adley looked so in love with their beautiful kids. Cenric and Sadie. Who would have thought he would find love in the enemy’s daughter?

My wedding was more special because my Dad and Moses looked happy for me. Could I ask for more? Yes, hoping what we had would be forever. I treasured these people before me, and no amount of wealth could replace them.

“Cade is the kind of person who will always get your back. And I knew the look in his eyes the first time he told me about London.”

I began to smile. He was not going to say it, was he?

“I’ve seen that look many times in my brothers. And I know you and London are going to have a strong relationship bound by your love, trust, and respect for each other. I’m truly happy for both of you. Congratulations!”

I raised my glass and sipped the Champagne.

“That was beautiful, Linden,” my wife said.

“I memorized it, sweetheart,” he joked.

“What did he say when he talked about me?”

“Oh, no. We don’t kiss and tell, baby,” I told her before Linden could spill the beans.

“Listen to him,” Linden said.

“Fine, but he’s gonna tell me about it, or he’s sleeping in the other room.”Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.