Runaway Bride

Henrietta's POV

By this time tomorrow, I'll be a married woman. It's hard to wrap my head around it.

Three years ago my parents introduced me to Peter, the love of my life.

He was from a very rich home and our families are doing business together.

I never thought I'll fall for him but he was sweet and treated me like a queen, buying me gifts and taking me on trips.

He never once commented on my curviness or my boring brown hair and eyes. He always called me beautiful.

So when my parents said we should get married I immediately said yes because Peter was perfect and I couldn't imagine my life with someone else.

I came from a modest home. We were comfortable and lived in harmony.

I'm the eldest out of three children, my sister Chloe and the last child Jack.

Chloe was my maid of honor in my wedding. We grew up like typical sisters. Fighting one moment, thick as thieves the next moment.

Where I'm voluptuous, Chloe is stick thin. She always attracted attention anywhere we went because she looked like a model.

Our parents also compared us a lot, 'why can't you be like Chloe?'

I had a little low self esteem as a result but Peter helped be realize that I am beautiful and smart regardless of what anybody thinks.

Speaking of Peter, I know the groom isn't supposed to see the bride before the wedding but I just missed him and really wanted to see him.

I snuck into his room in the hotel we are using for the wedding.I might have bribed the receptionist for his key. The things we do for love.

I walked on light feet because I wanted to surprise him. He's always doing nice things for me. I just said let me return the favor.

I heard voices so I slowed down at the hallway to his bedroom hoping I don't disturb his conversation .

I wasn't eaves dropping but my ears stood at attention when I heard my name.

"Henrietta is so stupid. She thinks I love her. I don't know where you guys got your sister from. She's fat and ugly. I can barely even carry her. How will we cope in bed? If she rides me I won't walk again" his chuckles mixed with a feminine voice.

I heard Peter say to who I guessed was Chloe. My suspicions were correct when she said," come on baby she's still my sister"

Baby?

"she's stupid that's just a fact. If not for my father saying I have to marry the first born, I'd have gone for you. You're more my type than that elephant"

His words tore open my heart and silent tears rolled down my face.

My sister giggled and then I heard strange noises like they were kissing.

But that can't be right. My sister would never betray me. Right?

I stuck my head out to see into the room and my heart stuttered to a stop.

She was on his lap wearing only a thong. And he was buck naked.

"can you believe that in three years your sister only allowed me to kiss her? Just kisses. If not for you I'd have died of blue balls long time ago"

"I remember the quickie we had in the bathroom next to her room. The day you first came to the house to sign the papers. Do you remember?"

"I can't forget that day. You had on this tight red dress, you were just enticing me with your body throughout the dinner" he kissed her shoulder while his hands roamed her body

They have been together that long? He said it was fine to wait! He said it's best we waited till we got married.

I've been a fool all along.

My heart broke into a million pieces and I managed to hold in my sobs so I don't alert them.

"are we going to continue this when you get married?" Chloe asks while kissing his neck.

"hell yes! How do you want me to survive? Look the moment we get married I'll tell her you need to stay with us so she's not lonely" he replied her.

She just giggled, not even trying to defend me and I realized that they have been playing with my feelings.

Their movements got more heated and I decided to record them in the act.

They will know who's stupid tomorrow.

I can't get married after hearing this. They will have to cancel the wedding.

I recorded a five minute video. Just torturing myself, watching them together.

It made me realize that they know every inch of each other.

He knew exactly where to touch to get her to moan like crazy.

Their sounds grated on my ears, making my tears to fall faster and my heart to beat even faster.

I started to see spots so I left the room before I could go in and confront them.

I quietly left the room, locking the door on my way out.

I took the elevator back to my floor and went into my room.

I collapsed on the bed, hyperventilating and thinking I'll pass out.

I cried myself to sleep thinking of what to do next.

I contemplated calling my mother but all she will say is 'just leave her. She's your junior sister she doesn't know better'

I have always been blamed for Chloe's messes even as we are full grown adults.

My parents never supported me in anything I did.

I earned more than Chloe, I had my own house already but I am never good enough.

Now my future husband has been hijacked by Chloe, just like all my other boyfriends.

I dragged my hand through my hair, accidentally hooking my ring in it.

I removed the ring and stared at it.

An object I wore proudly for a long time. Now all it brings are bad memories.

I fell asleep after sending the video to someone else. The wedding will go on.

Harry's POV

A business partner of mine invited me for his sons wedding.

I won't say business partner, more like he needed my help in his business and I didn't want to give him the help yet.

I was bored after a long week of contracts and board meetings and all of that, so when he invited me to the wedding I accepted.

On that Saturday morning I said I didn't want to stay indoors so I went on my morning run with my dogs.

I'm the stereotypical rich and bored, eligible bachelor. It doesn't help that I'm the richest in this city.

Before I got here I was in a very bad place, I lost my parents and sister in a plane crash so now I am all alone in the world.

I stopped trying to get in a relationship when I realized it's just gold diggers I was attracting.

My bodyguards jogged in front and behind me,making sure fans and admirers left me in peace.

I went to the back home after I completed my number of miles, took a shower and dressed in one of my less flashy or expensive suits.

They're still expensive but I don't want to outshine everybody.

I packed a small bag because the venue is a bit far and I didn't want to stress my guys at night.

We headed out to the hotel and got in late but not so late that I missed the entrance of the bride.

As I walked in, I was shown to a seat in front of the aisle, giving me front row view to the whole ceremony.

We all stood up while the bride walked it.

I have to say, she's very beautiful. I know she's another man's bride but damn she's so beautiful.

Her skin shone in the early afternoon sun which made her hair glow golden. Her curves belong to goddesses.

I snapped myself out of the fantasy I'm having about another man's wife.

Her eyes showed a world of hurt that she tried to mask with a smile but I could see through it.

She walked slowly by herself to the altar.

Where's her family?

She finally got to the altar and the pastor begins the wedding rites. I zoned out.

I zoned back in when the bride said she composed a video for the husband instead of the regular wedding vows.

The crowd went 'aww' and I almost joined them.

The groom held her hand and looked like the perfect husband. All caring and attentive.

My eyes were drawn to the maid of honor and I saw her glaring at the hands of the bride and groom.

I wondered what the story there was.

The bride nodded for the DJ who connected a phone to the projector.

Everybody waited with eager eyes to see the beauty of love in video form.

We saw the beauty of love alright, In the form of a sex tape.

The groom's genitals were plastered for all of us to see.

That wasn't the bad part. Oh no. The bad part was when the sound came on.

It was the groom but he was bashing the bride. Everyone turned to look at him and he tried to hide.

The video continued playing and we all came to the conclusion that the naked lady on the screen is actually her sister.

The maid of honor!

The bride with all her beauty looked so beaten down standing at the altar.

An elderly man suddenly shouted, "turn that rubbish off. The wedding will still go on!" the crowd gasped and started murmuring.

The bride turned to face him and said, "dad no! I'm not getting married to this cheat! I don't care"

"you will care! Because we need this marriage if not we're done for. Are you that heartless? We're bankrupt! " the man shouted.

"wait. So you're saying my feelings don't count? You set this up for the money? " the bride asks with a choked up voice.

I feel for her.

"care? We have never cared. You're just a place holder. A means to an end. You think if Chloe was older we wouldn't have used her instead?"

her heartless father said. He grabbed her arms and shook her, "you will marry Peter today and that's final!"

"I am not! I can't! Since he likes Chloe so much he should marry her. I'm done trying to get your approval. You guys should do what you want" the bride said, chucking her bouquet in her sister's face and storming off.

I was about to give a standing ovation or follow her out but I had to stay and see the end of this drama.

I have never been to such a lively wedding before.

The groom's family and the bride's family had a quiet discussion and before you know it the sister was now the bride.

This family confuse me so much.

They got wedded while the guests looked torn between being confused and disgusted.

The applause was so quiet after the wedding I was just shocked.

The groom's father got up and said, "thank you all for coming to the wedding. I want to apologize for the little drama that took place earlier" .

"The bride must have been on a few drugs and changed her mind because of a boyfriend. The reception is taking place in the conference room down the hall. Thank you"

Is he serious right now? What?!

I am not helping the guy or his company. I've changed my mind.

He can rot. That was a very bad display and a bad image his son painted.

If his son could do that in public I don't know what he could do to me in public.

They are not loyal people and I can't trust their company.

We all moved to the reception venue and I over heard some ladies bashing the bride.

"she could have just kept quiet and lived in luxury for the rest of her life. What a dumb girl"

I turned to the old lady and said, "I guess that was what you did during your time. Kept quiet and took it now look at your life, sad and boring"

I turned back to watch the bride and groom's first dance while the old lady murmured in anger.

I left the hall because I was super bored and went to the bar.

I walked into the bar only to see a lady dressed in white, chugging champagne straight out of the bottle.

She looked at me and from her eyes I could tell she was drunk.

Henrietta's POV

I stormed out of the wedding with tears in my eyes, feeling sorry for myself and my sad existence.

I should not be surprised they did this.

They have never cared about me. I have given and given all of me while they all take.

I stood by the door, hoping that one of my family will follow me out of the wedding or even anybody random.

But after a short conversation, my sister takes my place at the altar and they continue the wedding like nothing was wrong.

Nobody did. I was left alone. I cried harder when I realized that I truly do not have anyone in my corner.

My heart broke with every step I took.

I went to the hotel bar, dressed like the perfect bride but with no groom.

"rough day?" the bartender asked me as I cleaned off my tears, ruining my makeup.

"more like a rough three years. Do you have champagne here?" he nodded and I asked to bring the whole bottle

He opens it up for me and I immediately take it to my lips and start chugging straight out of the bottle.

"how much is this by the way?" I asked pulling the bottle away from my mouth.

"don't worry about it. I think I heard what happened to you. So it's free" I thanked him and went back to chugging.

I could feel myself starting to get tipsy but didn't care.

I placed my head down on the bar and listened to people go and come while I thought about my life.

I'm sisterless, husbandless and family less because I am definitely not talking to my family again. Ever.

I continued chugging and chugging, only pulling away to catch my breath.

My eyes got stuck on a guy that just walked in and he was FINE! What the hell?

What did I see in Peter? This dude looks like a Greek God and I just know his body is hot under that suit.

I gotta have him. Even if it's just for the night to take my head away from everything.

He sauntered, not walked. Walking is for amateurs. No this man glided.

He glided over to me and sat on the stool next to mine.

I was taking another sip of my champagne when his scent hit me, making me swallow air and choke.

He had on a statement perfume, the type that goes before you and stays after you leave.

He smelled heavenly.

He started pounding my back to get the champagne out of my nose.

I finally stopped choking and could catch my breath.

He smiled at me and said, "am I that sexy that you can't catch your breath around me?"

"oh please don't flatter yourself. You just couldn't compare to me. I mean do you see the big puffy wedding dress?" I told him taking a sip out of my bottle.

"oh I see the dress. You look beautiful in it. I bet you will look even better out of it"

"does that line work for you with other girls? Coz that was lame"

He laughed and finally ordered his drink.

He ordered those drinks that come from the top of the shelf and are always less than half in the glass cup.

He shoots the amber liquid back and doesn't even frown his face at the bitter and burning taste.

He caught me staring and goes, "what?"

"didn't that drink taste kind of hot and burn your throat?"

"yeah it did. Why do you ask?"

"you didn't even do the alcohol face"

"alcohol face?"

"yeah. The face you make when alcohol burns your throat. Not to be confused with the sex face though"

"I have seen your alcohol face. Can I see your sex face?" he said this and my brain went offline because I started thinking of him out of that suit.

My drunk haze reduced a little and I turned on the little charm I had to get him to drag me to his bed.

I made my voice sound husky and tilted my head to the side while looking at him through half open eyes. I bet I look like a horror film actor.

"now that is a pick up line. But I have a question" I motioned for him to come closer to me, "what name am I going to scream later?"

I asked him then sniffed him loudly, moaning a little for him to hear.

I looked into his eyes and watched them darken and his pulse pick up speed.

He stood up from his stool and bent down to throw me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing.

" charge our bill to my room" he told the bartender then picked up my bottle and carried me to the elevator.

I told him I might puke so he set me down in the elevator and devoured me.

His warm lips met mine in a haste and I got lost in the feeling of him.

He tasted like the drink he just had, spicy, hot and all male.

I don't think I've ever felt like this when Peter kissed me.

I don't know his name.

I dragged my lips away from him reluctantly.

"what's wrong?"

"I don't know your name"

"it's Harry"

"hi Harry. I'm Henrietta" I said, panting a little.

"that's sexy. I'm calling you Henny from now on"

Before he can go back to kissing me the elevator dings and we're let off on the twelfth floor. My floor.

What a coincidence. I don't mention anything though so I can leave as soon as I'm done with him.

We got to his room and he pulled me inside after unlocking the door.

Slamming me on the door, he continued to devour me whole.

His hands roamed my body almost in a crazy way.

Our lips detached with a wet sound and we were left looking at each other and panting

"where is the zipper on this dress? I'm losing my mind" he said spinning me around looking for the opening

"it's a corset style dress. You have to loose the strings at the back" I told him while resting my spinning head on the door.

"well that's not going to work" he said and produced a pocket knife that shone underneath the fluorescent lights.

"hold still" he said.

Well of course I'm not going to move.

He cut every string on the back of the dress and ripped it off my body.

I stood by the door in only my panties and bra while his eyes trailed down my body.

"you are exquisite Bambi. So beautiful" he whispered, like he didn't want to break the spell of us.

"I've never done this before" I whispered when he gathered me in his arms.

"Dont worry I'll take care of you"

He proceeded to do just that. Over and over again throughout the night