THE SPITEFUL BRIDE: Marry To Rival's Son novel Chapter 88

Chapter 88

Just as the laughter from Josh and Mira’s story started to die down, Beth leaned forward with a mischievous smile. “Okay, Mia, Stefan… I have to ask. How long did you two dalle before tying the knot?”

Mia froze a little, unsure how to answer without sounding idiculous. She glanced at Stefan, silently pleading for help. But he just raised a brow like he was daring her to answer.

“A day,” she blurted out.

Everyone blinked. Sammie choked on her drink. “Wait-what?”

Kenny looked stunned. “You mean, like, twenty-four hours?”

Stefan, calm as ever, leaned back slightly and said, “Actually… she proposed to me.”

Mia whipped her head toward him, mouth falling open. “Stefan!” she cried, swatting his arm in horror. “Must you say that?!”

The whole group burst into laughter.

“Oh, don’t be embarrassed,” Sammie said, waving her hand like it was nothing. “That’s the 21st century, sweetheart. Women propose all the time. You took charge of your happiness.”

Mia covered her face with both hands, cheeks hot with embarrassment. But Stefan chuckled softly behind her and gently tugged her hands down. Why would he say it that way? Yes she proposed but not exactly the way he put it.

“She did it very convincingly,” he teased, voice low in her ear. “I was powerless.”

“Stop,” she muttered through a giggle, rolling her eyes.

Beth leaned in. “Honestly, that’s romantic in its own way. Who cares how fast it happened? Look at you two.”

Sammie nodded in agreement. “Matteo and Aidan got married just weeks after meeting each other. Now look at them. Solid. Crazy, but solid. The strength of love isn’t measured by time. It’s about what you both are willing to build from the moment you choose each other.”

“Exactly,” Mira chimed in. “Sometimes you just know.”

Josh raised his drink. “To bold women who take the leap.”

Everyone raised their cups or glasses. Mia laughed softly and clinked hers with theirs, still pink in the cheeks, but somehow… proud. Proud she made that decision that night, to take control of her life, to break her shackles from her dad’s hold.

The group was still chuckling from Josh’s toast when Stefan’s voice cut gently through the laughter.

“Even though Mia proposed,” he said, his tone steady, calm… almost too calm, “that didn’t change how I feel about her.”

The fire crackled, filling the sudden silence that followed.

Stefan’s eyes locked on Mia’s, unwavering. “I love her. A lo. And I’ll do anything to make sure she remains happy.”

Mia’s heart skipped.

She blinked. Hard.

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88 AND TO LOVE MIM LIKE THIS TOO

It wasn’t the words, Stefan was a man who always knew what to say in public. It was the way he said them, quiet conviction, the soft edge to his voice. It felt… real.

Her mind scrambled to remind her that this was all fake. This was just him keeping up appearances. But her heart didn’t care. Her heart heard the words and still fluttered.

She glanced down at the hand he had resting protectively on her waist. Her fingers slid over it, holding it gently.

Then she tilted her head and leaned in, giving him a soft, tender peck on the lips. It was brief, barely a second, but it left her breathless.

She pulled back, blinking up at him with a small smile, unsure if what she just did was part of their act or something entirely out of character.

The group cooed and smiled, warmth blooming like the fire before them.

Josh let out a low whistle. “Whew. Newlyweds are something else.”

Beth rolled her eyes and slapped his arm playfully. “Let them enjoy themselves, would you?”

Josh grinned, unfazed. “I’m just saying….”

“You didn’t even let me leave the bed for days after we got married,” Beth interrupted, narrowing her eyes at him. “Kept saying you wanted to spend the entire honeymoon wrapped around each other.”

The group burst into laughter again, and Josh raised both hands like he was surrendering. “Guilty as charged.”

Sammie chuckled, sipping her drink. “Love makes you do wild things. Like three marriages,” she added with a wink.

Mia leaned back slightly into Stefan, her mind still circling his words.

I love her. A lot.

She knew it was a lie. She knew he didn’t mean it.

But it sounded so good… she let herself believe it. Just for tonight.

“Please, don’t forgive us,” Aidan called out interrupting Mia from her thoughts. She turned towards their direction. “We deserve all your judgment. We know we kept you waiting.”

Shw smiled immediately as she saw them. Aidan’s usual animated face glowing under the firelight, and Matteo right beside him, looking slightly apologetic… but mostly amused.

“We were looking for something,” Aidan added, waving his hand dramatically as they walked into the circle.

James didn’t miss a beat. “I’d bet good money that the something you were looking for was in between Matteo’s legs.”

The whole group roared with laughter. Even Stefan chuckled softly beside Mia.

Aidan grinned unbothered, then turned and without hesitation placed a kiss on Matteo’s cheek. “I won’t even deny it,” he said, lips still close to Matteo’s skin. “Can you blame me? It’s not my fault. It’s Matteo’s.”

Matteo gave a mock gasp and pointed at himself. “Me?”

“Yes, you,” Aidan said, pointing straight at him. “You just wouldn’t stop looking so damn cute. Like this.” He motioned toward Matteo’s clueless expression, mimicking him in an exaggerated way. “You see this face? This exact one. How’s a man supposed to leave the room with that face staring at him like a golden retriever in love?”

Everyone laughed again, Mira had to lean into Stefan’s shoulder to muffle her giggles.

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