A Wedding Night Gone Terribly Wrong novel Chapter 103

Leaving Leland's office, the group looked thoroughly defeated.

Kian had originally planned to partner with the Lockwood Cancer Institute to expand his wellness supplement company. Leland had shot him down instantly, claiming the Lockwood Group's medical division already had top-tier talent developing their own proprietary products.

Holden fared even worse. He had come prepared with a meticulously crafted pitch, but Leland's impromptu "Winifred thesis" had completely derailed the meeting, leaving his proposal dying in his throat.

The three men could handle the professional rejection. They were wealthy elites, after all. If the Lockwood Group wouldn't play ball, they had plenty of other avenues to explore.

But Iris was a different story. She was a delicate, romantically driven woman whose entire world revolved around Holden. She had tagged along today expecting to watch her man triumphantly conquer the Kingsbridge business elite, radiating power and charisma.

Instead, she had watched him get publicly dismantled. Her alpha male had completely deflated.

Leland's words—"If she had to choose, she would choose me... she doesn't even want me, so how could she want him?"—had struck a nerve. Holden's deflation wasn't born of actual insecurity; he was far too arrogant for that. No, his reaction was entirely tied to Winifred.

Leland's excellence was undeniable. Seeing Winifred align herself with a man of his caliber had clearly triggered something in Holden. Jealousy, perhaps?

Iris immediately sensed the danger.

The lobby of the Lockwood Group headquarters was bustling with people, making it impossible for her to throw her arms around Holden and comfort him. She had to bite her lip and swallow her anxiety.

Just then, a man approached them. "Well, hello there! What a pleasant surprise running into all of you."

Iris looked over with stinging eyes. It was Chuck Stroud, his beady little eyes crinkling with a greasy smile. After greeting the men, Chuck stepped right up to her. "Goddess! My wife is an absolute massive fan of yours. Do you mind if we chat in private for just a second?"

He was a snake. Overweight, sleazy, and exactly the kind of uninspiring man beautiful women usually avoided like the plague.

"Of course not! That's just a bonus request."

His real goal was networking. Historically, he wouldn't have given the Morgan family the time of day, but Iris was the exception. She had hit the jackpot, transforming from a nobody into a superstar. Now, she was a famous actress, the beloved fiancée of Seaport City's top heir, and the new darling of the powerful Sutton family in Kingsbridge. Chuck wasn't about to pass up an opportunity to wedge his way into her inner circle.

"Actually, the funniest thing happened today. I ran into Holden and Winifred in the parking garage."

Iris's eyes widened. "What were they doing down there?" Her heart pounded with sudden intensity.

Chuck eagerly spilled everything he had witnessed. "I was honestly shocked. Holden didn't show her an ounce of mercy, despite all their history together. I don't know what she did to him, but he despises her. He literally yelled at her to stay away from him, told her to go live in the middle of nowhere so she wouldn't bother you two."

The heavy weight on Iris's chest instantly vanished.