Chapter 4 Marrying The Wrong Person

"Reach out to Nathan and make sure he has a suit for tomorrow's event," Kristine said offhandedly, already turning her attention to selecting her own dress and jewelry.

Pamela stood in the doorway, thoroughly confused, and hurried to grab Kristine's arm. "Wait-Nathan who? Who are you even talking about?"

"Are you serious right now? Nathan Spencer, of course. My legal husband-the man you picked out for me, remember?" Kristine shot her assistant a stunned look.

Pamela raked her hands through her hair, clearly frazzled. "No, no, I'm sure I arranged for a guy named Jeff Sutton! Didn't Jeff show up to marry you?"

Kristine's jaw dropped. "Excuse me? Jeff Sutton was supposed to be my husband? So what was this Nathan guy doing here, claiming he was waiting for me?"

Across town, Nathan stood at the window of his seventy-second floor office, surveying the skyline.

One leg crossed, he tapped his fingers on the table in a slow, steady rhythm.

His bespoke suit hugged his frame, every line immaculate.

A tight line settled over his lips, and his jaw tensed, projecting a silent command that filled the room.

His eyes slid over to the nervous man giving a report. The pressure of Nathan's gaze made the subordinate's voice falter as he stared down at the floor.

"Mr. Spencer, we've discovered that Kristine Holt, the woman you accidentally married, isn't as straightforward as she appears. Someone clearly made sure most of her history stays hidden. What we do know is that she has a connection to the Campbell family from Dosnard and spent five years in a fake marriage with Benny Higgins. It seems she was tricked into it. There's still a lot we're working to uncover."

"Keep digging. It is indeed interesting she's tied to the Campbells," Nathan said, a short, cold laugh slipping out. His gaze hardened as he looked straight at his subordinate. "Go take your punishment. Now."

"Understood, sir!"

...

Kristine had finally pieced together the truth, but now there wasn't much she could do. She couldn't get through to Jeff, so she ended up heading to the banquet alone.

As luck would have it, she bumped into Benny and Emilee right at the entrance.

Neither of them had remembered to bring their invitation, and the security guards weren't about to make exceptions.

Both Benny and Emilee wore matching sour looks, but the guard didn't budge. "Sorry, sir, ma'am, you can't enter without an invitation."

"Do you have any idea who we are? He's the CEO of the Higgins Group, and I'm his wife! I was personally invited by Mr. Gerard Payne himself. The outfits he and his grandson are wearing tonight? All my designs! If you keep us out, do you know what kind of rumors the press will run with tomorrow? What if the company's stock price takes a hit? You're going to be the one held responsible by then!" Emilee puffed herself up, her voice loud and clear.

She was dressed to impress, layered in diamonds-her necklace alone was worth a small fortune, and the giant pink diamond on her finger had once belonged to royalty.

Watching Emilee flaunt her jewelry, Kristine couldn't help but smirk, thinking how all that sparkle only made her look gaudy. Sometimes, she mused, a lack of taste said more about a person than any headline.

With a steady hand, Kristine lifted her gown and approached the door, calm and collected.

"There's no need to hassle the security. They're only doing their job. If you don't have an invitation, step aside and let the next guest through," Kristine said, passing her own invitation to the guard. She added with a teasing smile, "Am I right?"

Tonight, Kristine was dressed in a deep green gown, its flowing skirt embroidered with vines and blossoms that made her seem almost otherworldly.

A crown of emerald-studded leaves rested lightly on her hair, the whole effect striking in its simplicity-no gaudy jewelry weighed her down.

"What's your problem? Are you just trying to steal the spotlight? Who even are you? What business is this of yours?" Emilee shot Kristine a scornful glare, her voice rising in protest.

Benny's eyes lingered on Kristine, a look of surprise and faint recognition flickering across his face.

This woman looked oddly familiar, though he couldn't quite place her.

Their spat drew a crowd of curious guests, some already whispering among themselves after spotting Kristine's elegant gown.

Kristine kept her tone even as she replied, eyes glinting with sarcasm, "It's not about me making a scene-it's about what's fair. Maybe you don't know who I am, but I know exactly who you are." Her gaze narrowed. "Although, I'm a little confused. When did Mr. Higgins swap wives without an announcement? Or are you just his new lover?"

"Who are you calling a lover? I'm-"

Emilee's retort was cut short when Benny stared at Kristine, his voice shaky with realization. "Wait... Kristine? Is that really you?"