THE SPITEFUL BRIDE: Marry To Rival's Son novel Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The party was over, but the whispers still lingered in the air like perfume.

Mia moved through the thinning crowd with practiced grace, her steps measured, her chin held high. On the surface, she was poised.... her gown still immaculate, her smile still polite.... but inside, she was unraveling, thread by thread.

The ballroom, once a stage for her victory, now felt like a trap. A place where her dreams had been paraded in front of her.... only to be crushed in full view of New York’s most watchful eyes.

And the painful part was that it was done by someone she had trusted with her life. Her dad.

She could hear the whispers. The looks. And their pity. But she didn't need their pity, definitely not their pity. Because their pity came with a prize, one she wasn't ready to pay.

No one asked her anything directly. They didn’t have to. Their silence was its own kind of cruelty.

“Did you know?” their eyes seemed to ask.

“Are you okay?”

“Have you been replaced?”

"She might not be good enough"

Mia didn’t flinch. She didn't let it get to her because, they weren't her problem. She Stood tall with her shoulders back, her chest open, and her spine straight. She made sure to Maintain direct eye contact with anyone that smiled at her.

She walked past a cluster of socialites pretending not to stare. Past a photographer who had clearly stayed behind for more than just ambiance shots.

When she walked past Beatrice Stone, a longtime family friend whose affection had always felt more like surveillance.

Beatrice’s voice came sugar-sweet and sharp, like a knife dipped in honey. “Darling, what an unexpected turn of events!”

Mia turned to her, calm as glass. “My father has always been like that. Always been unpredictable.,” her voice came out smooth and clear, without hesitation. “That was how he was able to maintain and grow such a large empire. Don't you think?”

Beatrice chuckled awkwardly, unsure how to respond. Mia didn’t wait for her to find the right words. She kept walking.

Each step was heavier than the last. Her heels clicked against the polished floor like a slow countdown.

When the final guests drifted out and the last echoes of music faded into silence, she was left standing in the bones of her own celebration... glittering lights dimmed, empty champagne flutes still scattered across tables, floral arrangements wilting under the weight of forgotten admiration.

She heard the door open behind her. She didn’t have to turn, she already knew who it was.

“Mia,” Samuel’s voice was gentler than it had been all evening. Like he suddenly remembered he had a daughter.

She turned slowly, her face unreadable. “Enjoy the show?”

He sighed. “Can we talk?”

Mia raised a brow but still followed him without a word. Of course he'd want to talk. Do a damage control, or try to make a fool out of her again.

They walked down the long hallway in silence, past portraits of generations who had built their wealth brick by brick.... men in suits. The legacy she thought she would one day lead.

Samuel pushed open the heavy double doors of his office. The room was warm with amber light, lined with towering bookshelves and the familiar scent of leather and old money.

But tonight, it felt different. It felt smaller and a lot colder.

He leaned against the edge of his desk. “I didn’t mean for it to happen this way.”

Mia folded her arms over her chest, as her eyes focused on him. “You didn’t mean for it to happen at all, or you didn’t mean for me to find out like this?”

He didn’t answer right away. He just looked at her.... the way a CEO looks at a problem. Calm. Calculated.

“I was going to tell you,” he said finally. “I just… I needed the right time.”

She let out a quiet laugh. It was short, humorless, mocking. What did he see as? A fool? A child?

“The right time? Of all days, you had to pick my birthday. My event. The event you specifically told me to make special.... to drop that you have a secret son?”

He frowned. “It wasn’t meant to be about you. It was about the future. About the company.”

“And what about my future?” she snapped, her voice rising for the first time. “Or did that get replaced the second he walked into your life?” She watched him with glaring eyes. She was done being the good girl. Always trying to get on his good book. She just wanted to burn everything to the ground.

Before Samuel could speak, the door creaked open again.

A soft knock. Then followed by a cautious step. Mia twisted her head up as Ethan stepped in like he wasn't sure he should be here. At least he was smart enough to know he doesn't belong here.

His presence had immediately changed the air in the room. Not because he did anything..... but because he existed.

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