My Fiance Rigged the Game for His Bestie? I Changed the Groom Chapter 06
Under Alexander’s stunned stare, Ethan peeled his hand away from mine.
Then he moved between us, shielding me behind him.
“Was that not clear enough for you, Mr. Caldwell?
“My wife has graciously stepped aside for you and
Madison. Why aren’t you taking your bride to the altar?”
Alexander’s pupils contracted.
His lips parted several times as his gaze moved from
Ethan to me and back again.
Finally, he fixed on Ethan.
“You told her what we discussed last night?”
Ethan smiled,
“You were the one who said she’d never leave. You said
even if she found out, she’d swallow the insult and stay.
“Looks like you overestimated yourself.”
Alexander drove a fist into his face.
Ethan didn’t dodge.
But when Alexander swung again, Ethan caught his fist midair, and something vicious flashed in his eyes.
“That’s enough. I let you land one because I did steal your bride today.”
Alexander looked ready to tear him apart.
“What the hell is wrong with you? You don’t go after your best friend’s fiancée.
“Ethan Whitmore, you backstabbing son of a bitch.”
Ethan’s gaze went cold.
Then he laughed once, without humor.
“If you had loved her properly–if you had respected
her–I would’ve disappeared from both your lives after today.
“But look at what you did.
“You stood beside another woman while she humiliated Claire at her own wedding. You helped grind her dignity into the floor in front of everyone.
“If you don’t know how to cherish her, don’t blame me for taking the chance you threw away.
“And since we’re telling the truth, here’s mine. I fell for your girlfriend the first time I saw her. I became your friend because it was the only way to stay close
enough to know she was all right.
“I waited five years. I was prepared to let her go
because I thought she was happy.
“Then this manipulative little snake came back, and you handed her the knife.
I stood frozen, staring at Ethan.
There was nothing playful in his expression now.
He meant every word.
When he said “snake,” his eyes cut toward Madison.
The truth landed on everyone at once.
“That actually explains a lot. Ethan never cared about the Manhattan social scene before.”
“And the Whitmores don’t need anyone’s connections. People line up to get close to them. Ethan never had a business reason to befriend Alex.”
“So he’d been waiting all this time. Still, Alex made this mess himself.”
“He humiliated Claire because he was certain she’d never walk away.”
The whispers closed in from every direction.
Alexander staggered back as though the floor had
shifted beneath him.
Then he looked at me.
“Claire, it wasn’t like that.
“Madison has been sick. She had a terrible time.
overseas.
“She left because of you five years ago, so we owed her something.
“She only wanted the gown for a little while. Couldn’t
we let her have that? And if you can’t, fine. I’ll make her take it off. I’ll give it back to you right now.”
The words tumbled out too fast.
Once again, he wore the face of a man terrified of losing me.
For one painful second, he looked like the Alexander I had loved.
But I understood the difference now.
He wasn’t afraid because he had hurt me.
He was afraid because he finally believed I might leave.
“Claire, we’ve been together for five years.
“I never planned to marry anyone else. Not once.
Please believe me.”
His voice broke.
His eyes reddened as he reached a trembling hand toward me.