A Substitute Bride for Mr. Voss

~Astrid~

I moved around the room as the guests chatted and the engagement party went on. Organizing this engagement party for one of the biggest names in the tech industry was my proudest achievement this year.

The lights were dimmed just right, casting a warm glow over the elegant centerpieces and spotless glassware. Each table had delicate arrangements of ivory roses, just as the bride had requested in her very specific notes. It was flawless.

After working as an event planner for the last two years, I knew this party could finally put my name on the map. I'd been on the grind, taking small gigs, dealing with difficult clients, and working late nights just to prove myself.

And now, here I was, overseeing an engagement party that every guest seemed to be talking about. The compliments from the guests filled me with pride-this was exactly the kind of buzz I needed. I glanced around, making sure everything was in place. Everything looked perfect.

"Ash," a voice snapped me out of my thoughts. My assistant, Nora, was approaching me in quick strides. Her usually calm expression was twisted with worry, her brows furrowed as she wrung her hands. I had hired Nora because she was unshakable under pressure, so seeing her like this instantly set off alarm bells in my mind.

"What's it?" I asked, surprised at how steady my voice sounded, even as dread began to stir in my chest. I'd worked tirelessly over the past three months to make sure this party was perfect.

"The bride is missing," she whispered, glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one could hear. I stared at her, feeling a cold wave of shock rippled through me. My heart skipped a beat, and my stomach twisted.

"What do you mean, the bride is missing? This is her engagement party," I hissed, keeping my voice low but sharp. Nora shook her head, her face pale as she looked back at me, clearly at a loss.

"We've been trying to reach her for the last two hours, but her phone isn't connecting. The groom is getting worried," she said, biting her lip. The thought of a panicked groom sent another shiver of anxiety through me. This was supposed to be the night they celebrated their future together-how could the bride not be here?

I forced a smile at a few guests who passed by, offering polite nods and murmuring greetings as if everything was under control.

"Where's the groom?" I asked Nora, gripping the skirt of my dress so I could walk faster, my mind racing through possible explanations. Maybe she'd had some kind of emergency. Maybe she was just running late.

"He's in the second hall," Nora said, her voice tinged with uncertainty. She sped up to keep pace with me as we made our way through the main ballroom and toward the secondary, smaller hall we hadn't used tonight.

I hadn't even met the groom. The whole arrangement had been unusual from the start.

A blonde woman named Martha had contacted me, introducing herself as the groom's secretary. She wanted a lavish engagement party for her boss and his fiancée, but she'd been oddly tight-lipped about the details.

I didn't know anything about the bride or groom except that the groom was a high-profile executive for Zenith Crypt, one of the biggest tech and security companies in the country.

The secrecy around it had made planning even harder, but the paycheck was good, and the opportunity was even better.

We reached the door to the smaller, unused hall, and Nora hesitated, fidgeting with the edge of her sleeve.

"Mr. Voss asked to be alone," she said, a note of reluctance in her voice. I could see the conflict in her eyes.

"Nora, I need to talk to him. He might know where his fiancée is," I replied. I wasn't about to walk away without getting some answers. She bit her lip again, her usual calm facade cracking under the pressure, and I felt my own nerves brimming.

I took a deep breath, nodded, and turned the knob. The door creaked as it opened, and I stepped inside. The room was dim, hazy, and smelled faintly of dust and fresh paint-a far cry from the polished elegance of the main hall.

"Mr. Voss?" I called softly, my voice barely more than a whisper. Every instinct told me that I shouldn't be here, that I was trespassing into something private, something dangerous.

But I had to see him; I had to understand what was going on. I took another cautious step forward, my heels sinking slightly into the thin layer of dust coating the floor.

A low, angry voice came from my left, stopping me in my tracks.

"What do you mean, you don't know where she is?" The voice was oddly familiar, sending a chill down my spine. I felt my pulse quicken, prickling the hair at the back of my neck.

I stayed still, listening. He continued, his tone cold and deadly calm.

"If your daughter isn't here in twenty minutes, you know exactly what will happen to your company." There was a dark edge to his words, an unspoken threat that made my skin crawl.

What kind of man was he to speak like that, especially on a night that was supposed to be a celebration?

There was silence, then he spoke again, his voice even softer, but somehow sharper. "What we had, Xavier, was a deal. Deals aren't supposed to be canceled at the last minute." His words were laced with malice, the kind of malice that leaves a bitter taste in the air.

A deal? Was this engagement nothing more than a business arrangement?

A sickening realization began to dawn on me. The guests, the decorations, the band-all of it was just a facade.

This wasn't a celebration of love; it was a transaction, a merger, a deal made under false pretenses. My stomach twisted at the thought, and I took a shaky step back, trying to process what I'd just overheard.

I was a romantic by heart and derived joy in organizing events like this and seeing the couples so in love. But this?

As I moved, my foot hit something hard-a plastic container left on the floor. It toppled over with a loud clatter, and I froze, my eyes widening in horror.

"Who's there?" he demanded, his voice sharp. Panic flooded through me as I considered my options.

I could run, but that would only draw attention. Or I could stay here, hoping he'd believe I hadn't heard anything important. My mind raced, but before I could decide, the door in front of me creaked open.

I forced a polite smile, every muscle in my body tense, as I looked up. And then, my breath caught in my throat.

It was Adrian.

My heart dropped, and for a moment, I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

His jaw was set, his brown eyes narrowed as he took me in, recognizing me just as quickly as I recognized him.

Memories flashed through my mind-the late-night arguments, the whispered promises, the painful end that had left us both broken.

"Adrian?" I whispered, barely able to believe what I was seeing.

There was no mistaking it. The groom, the man I'd been planning this entire engagement party for, was my ex.

~Astrid~

"Why are you here?" Adrian asked, his tone flat, and I stared at him for a long moment, feeling a flicker of something dark and bitter before I caught myself. I let out a slow breath, forcing myself to keep it together.

I should have known he was Mr. Voss. How could I have missed that? It seemed so obvious now, looking at him-every detail exactly as I remembered, but somehow worse. Standing there with that same face that had once felt like home to me. Stupidly handsome, still. Cruel in the way that beauty could be cruel.

It had been, what, five years? A pang tightened in my chest. Five years since he broke me. He was getting married, while I was still here, quietly picking up the pieces of my shattered heart.

"Considering I'm the event planner, that question seems a bit ridiculous, don't you think?" I replied, keeping my voice light and professional. I felt oddly proud of myself for staying so composed, for keeping the bitterness and hurt buried beneath the surface.

He didn't deserve to know he still affected me. He'd been my first love, my naive mistake, the boy I'd trusted with every vulnerable part of myself.

"That doesn't really answer my question," he replied, raising an eyebrow, his expression annoyingly blank. It was always like that with him-he hid behind that cool mask, leaving me to wonder if anything ever truly touched him.

"The party's in the other hall, isn't it? I assume you know that, since you're the planner." He leaned back against the wall, one leg crossed over the other, looking so casual and at ease for a man his size.

Adrian had always been a force to be reckoned with-a perfect, intimidating specimen. Those brown eyes that turned to molten gold in the right light, that sharp jawline that looked like it was cut from stone, and his height. Everything about him demanded attention.

But I knew better. I knew the man beneath the charm, beneath the looks. Or at least, I'd thought I had.

I held his gaze, matching his indifference. If he wanted to pretend we were strangers, as if we hadn't once shared everything, as if we hadn't once been in love, I could play that game too.

"My assistant told me your fiancée can't be reached." I glanced at my wristwatch, feigning disinterest. "She's missing-at least, I assume that's what an hour late counts as." I returned my gaze to his face, waiting for a crack.

His jaw tightened. Finally, a reaction.

Without a word, he straightened and took a step toward me, closing the distance until I could smell his cologne, the same one he used to wear back then.

My stomach twisted, memories I'd long buried clawing their way to the surface. I wanted to step back, to give myself space, but he was already too close. His arm came up, bracing against the wall above my head, trapping me there. His other hand slid into his pocket, so effortlessly confident.

"What are you doing here, sunshine?" His voice dropped, his gaze searing into mine.

I flinched inwardly, fury boiling in my veins. No. We weren't doing this. He had no right to call me that, to act as if the last five years hadn't happened, as if he hadn't destroyed me.

I forced myself to stay still, to hold his gaze, and twisted a loose strand of hair around my finger, hoping he could see the anger in my eyes.

"Where's your bride, Mr. Voss?" I asked, letting my voice drip with mock sweetness. It was all I could do to mask the anger inside of me.

His nostrils flared slightly, and he pushed off the wall, taking a step back, creating just enough distance for me to breathe again.

"I can't reach her,"

"Obviously," I said, rolling my eyes. He shot me a glare that would have made anyone else run for the hills, but I wasn't anyone else. He'd never been able to intimidate me, and he wouldn't start now.

He stayed silent, and I took a careful step forward, watching the hem of my dress so I wouldn't trip. The last thing I wanted was to stumble and give him anything to hold over me.

I remembered the last time I'd seen him, how I'd made a scene, crying and shouting, while he stood there, unmoved, unbothered. The anger simmered in my chest, but it was muted by a deeper, older hurt. I'd thought he loved me. I'd been so certain of it.

"I'll leave you to try reaching your fiancée," I said, my tone dry and impersonal, like I was discussing business. "If you can't, get in touch with my assistant. I'll arrange to send the guests home." I started to move past him, my steps steady and calculated, heading toward the door with my head held high.

As I walked, I couldn't shake the feeling of deja vu. It felt so much like five years ago, but this time, I was the one leaving. I wasn't the one being dragged away, crying and broken. I could feel his gaze on me, just like that night. But this time, I had control.

"How much did you hear?" His voice reached me just as my hand found the door. I paused, gripping the knob tightly, debating whether I should even answer. For a moment, I kept my back to him, before finally turning to look over my shoulder.

He looked composed, but I could see the tension bracketing his mouth.

I lifted one shoulder in a careless shrug, my gaze steady.

"Enough to know this engagement party is a sham." I saw his fists clench and unclench, and the sight gave me a sick sort of satisfaction. "And I have to say, I'm disappointed in you, Mr. Voss. I thought you could do better." With that, I turned away and walked out, shutting the door firmly behind me.

I kept moving, forcing a polite smile for the guests as I passed them in the hallway. But as soon as I reached the bathroom, I slipped inside, locking the door behind me.

The second I was alone, I sagged against the door, pressing a hand to my chest, willing my heart to slow down.

It was hammering wildly, like it was trying to break free from my ribcage. I hadn't seen Adrian in five years, not since that night. The night that nearly broke me completely.

I lifted my hand, studying the small scar on the underside of my wrist, tracing it with my finger. It had healed over time, but it was still there-a permanent reminder of what he'd taken from me. No matter how many years passed, it would always be a part of me, a silent witness to the pain he'd left behind.

The memory came back to me, as vivid as if it had happened yesterday.

He'd taken my child from me. I'd been young, naive, and I'd believed he'd protect me. He had a big thing coming if he thought I'd just let go.

Oh no. I was going to exact revenge someday.

Adrian

I stared at her retreating back as she shut the door behind her.

"Fuck!" I kicked the empty can next to my foot. The day was already ruined.

I had been the one who specifically asked Martha to book her as the event planner for the party. I wanted to see her again, to prove to her-and maybe to myself-that I'd moved on.

But seeing her again, looking just as beautiful as she had five years ago, with her blue eyes still as mesmerizing and her lips still as tempting... it hit me like a brick. I hadn't moved on. Not even close.

It took every ounce of self-control not to push her against the wall and kiss her senseless. But I couldn't. Not after what she had done. Not after what I'd seen with my own eyes.

And now Nova had bailed on me, knowing full well her dad's company was on the line.

I had helped Xavier a few years ago, never planning to call in the favor. But Aaron, God help him, had twisted my hand.

Aaron, with his perfect fiancée and his annoying insistence that all of us needed to settle down if we wanted to climb higher in the company. It wasn't enough to be good at our jobs-no, he wanted us to find "balance" and "stability."

Fucking rubbish. But he was the boss, and I wasn't about to throw away a shot at the promotion that could get me the exposure I needed in the world of technology.

That was why I had decided to get a wife. No one came to mind, so I'd cashed in Xavier's favor. His daughter, Nova, as my wife until the promotion came through. It wasn't romantic, but it was practical.

And they couldn't even keep their end of the bargain.

My phone rang. I checked the caller ID, expecting Nova, but it wasn't her. It was my dad. I sent the call to voicemail and shoved the phone back into my pocket.

I left the room, slamming the door behind me, and made my way toward the main hall. I needed to find Astrid.

She could send the guests away. The party was over.

I spotted blonde hair as she stepped out of the bathroom, her blue dress clinging to her figure in a way that stopped me in my tracks.

Astrid.

Her hips swayed under that dress, the same color as her eyes. For a moment, I stood there, just staring.

I had once memorized every inch of that body with my lips, kissed and worshipped every part.

My hands ached to touch her, to hold her again, but she wasn't mine anymore. She never would be.

Astrid Blythe was a cheating liar.

She stopped to chat with a few guests, her smile perfect and practiced. She was good at this-masking whatever she felt. Once, she'd been an open book to me. Her eyes had always given her away. But now? Now I couldn't read her.

The thought of what I had to do next churned in my gut, but I forced myself to push it down.

I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed Xavier again.

"Where is she?" I asked. The silence on the other end stretched a moment too long.

"She... she eloped with her boyfriend. Adrian, I swear to God, I didn't know this was going to happen-"

I ended the call before he could finish.

I needed a wife by the weekend. The thought that came next was one I'd been trying to avoid, but it refused to leave me alone.

I took the backstage route toward the podium, my steps slow, my hands stuffed into my pockets. The place was supposed to be where I introduced my bride-a woman who was still a mystery to everyone here because they hadn't seen me with anyone.

No one could have guessed who it would be, and that made this plan all the more twistedly perfect.

I stood at the back of the stage, trying to gather my words.

Because, hell, Astrid Blythe was going to be my wife.