My Fiance Rigged the Game for His Bestie? I Changed the Groom Chapter 05
“Married?” Alexander repeated, as though the word made no sense.
His gaze swept the hallway. “Where’s the bride? Who are you marrying?”
Ethan looked at me, and his grin widened until his eyes shone.
Before that day, Ethan and I had barely spoken.
He was Alexander’s friend, but he spent most of his
time abroad, and our paths had crossed only a handful of times.
That was why, when he called me the night before, I
had assumed it was some elaborate joke.
Looking at him now, I suddenly realized just how handsome he was.
When his warm, slightly wicked eyes curved with a
smile, he was almost impossible to resist.
My heart gave one strange, unsteady beat.
“You don’t mean Claire, do you?”
Alexander let out a disbelieving laugh and pointed at
me as though the idea were absurd.
I paused and turned toward him.
Madison answered before I could.
“Don’t let her play you, Ethan. This is her wedding to Alex.
“Trying to marry two men on the same day? That’s beyond shameless.”
Alexander frowned at the insult.
But he only glanced at Madison.
He didn’t stop her.
Ethan’s brows lifted. “Is that right? Then why are you wearing the bride’s gown?
“Couldn’t find a groom of your own?”
The color drained from Madison’s face.
“Don’t say that,” Alexander said at once, instinctively stepping in for her.
Madison’s eyes filled as she turned on me.
“Claire, aren’t you going to explain yourself?
“You lost your own gown. How is that anyone else’s fault?
“Alex and Ethan are friends, and now you’re driving a
wedge between them. Do you have any idea what that could cost?
“Of course you don’t. You’re a coach. You don’t
understand the kind of business involved here.
“If you turn them against each other today, don’t
expect the Caldwell family to welcome you afterward.”
She didn’t dare direct her anger at Ethan, so every
threat landed on me instead.
“The ceremony is about to begin,” the wedding
coordinator called as she hurried toward us. “I need
the bride and groom in place.”
Madison lifted her chin. “Well? Aren’t you going? Or do you want me to walk through the ceremony for you too?”
Alexander strode over, his face dark, and seized my wrist.
“Enough.
“Don’t forget–you were the one who wanted this wedding.”
I tried to pull free, but his grip tightened.
So I stopped struggling.
“I understand now,” I said. “You never wanted to marry me.”
Alexander froze. “That’s not what I said. Do you have
to turn every sentence into an accusation?”
“Your bride is over there, Mr. Caldwell. You’ve grabbed the wrong woman.”
I tipped my chin toward Madison.
His expression went glacial.
“Claire Bennett, don’t test my patience.”
I met his anger without flinching.
“The woman in the wedding gown is the bride. That
shouldn’t be difficult to understand.”
Pain flickered in his eyes before his gaze hardened again.
“You lost the gown to her.”
“No. I stepped aside for the two of you. The game was so obviously rigged you didn’t even bother pretending
otherwise.
“Alexander, if you wanted Madison, all you had to do was tell me. I’m not so desperate that I need to beg a
man to marry me.”
I drew a slow breath and looked at Ethan.
One glance was enough.
He stepped forward and closed his hand around Alexander’s wrist.