THE SPITEFUL BRIDE: MARRY TO RIVAL'S SON

Chapter 1

The ballroom glowed with luxury. Crystal chandeliers sparkled above, spilling golden light over marble floors and people dressed in their finest. The soft clinking of glasses, muted laughter, and smooth jazz playing in the background gave the night an air of effortless perfection.

Mia Meyers stood at the center of it all, wine glass in hand, her deep emerald gown hugging her figure like it had been stitched onto her. Her lips curved in a polite, practiced smile, the kind you wear when everything around you is exactly as planned.

Because it was.

Every detail of this evening.... every flower arrangement, everything that made this night look like one the best, had passed through her approval. This was more than just her twenty-eighth birthday. It was a night to prove herself. A night to take what had rightfully being hers from birth.

Her father had trusted her to pull this off, and she had delivered and left no crumbs.

This was the first event her dad had ever trusted her to handle, he had trusted her to make it memorable. And she had done just that, this was a flawless celebration that made the upper crust of New York society pause in admiration.

But it wasn't just about this party. It was about legacy.

About taking over her dad's legacy. And she hasn't been more excited.

She sipped her wine slowly, savoring the chill of the glass against her palm. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she imagined her father stepping up to the mic and making the announcement she'd always dreamed of hearing. That his only daughter, the one who had studied late into the night, the one who had sat through endless boardroom meetings, and worked twice as hard to prove herself in every corner of Meyers Industries, would be his successor.

She had waited years for this moment.

Mia's mind drifted to a distant memory.... her at nine years old, sitting at her mother's vanity. Her mom had brushed her hair gently, the kind of rhythm that soothed both scalp and soul. "You're going to do great things, Mia," her mother had said, voice soft but sure. "One day, everything your father and I built... it'll be yours."

It had stuck with her. That promise. That unshakable belief.

So she had made it her mission. She gave up the wild years her friends indulged in. She turned down vacations, parties, even love, just to stay on course. Every step, every decision, had been for this. Now the day has come to reap all that she had sowed.

The clinking of a microphone pulled her back to the present.

She turned. Her father stood at the center of the stage, tall, proud and commanding. The room naturally stilled for him. Samuel Meyers was a man people listened to. Even the music dipped into silence.

Mia's heart fluttered. Her pulse raced, her palms slick with sweat, as she leaned forward, eyes wide with the thrill of what came next. Her hands were now trembling, she steady her breath as she tried to steady her left hand but she failed woefully.

This was it.

The moment she'd rehearsed a thousand times in the quiet of her mind.

Her father, Samuel leaned forward slightly, his voice deep and rich. "Hmmm. Hmmm. Sorry, I always do that when I'm about to make an important announcement. Need to be sure no part of my speech his missed" Laugh erupted.

Mia swelled with admiration. Her dad has been someone who knows how to carry the room. That's why she's always respected him.

"First of I want to thank you all for joining us tonight. Today, we're not only celebrating my daughter's birthday...." he looked up, smiling toward her, and a small wave of warmth washed over her "We're celebrating thirty five years of consistency, of tears and blood put together to make Meyer what it is today." He paused and looked around.

"And..... we're also celebrating the future. Now, it's time to hand over what I've worked for to someone who has the same vision as me. To someone who would take Meyer empire to more height."

Tears welled up in Mia's eyes, she couldn't believe her dad had trusted her this much. Her grip on her wine glass a grew a little tighter. She couldn't wait any longer. Couldn't wait to hear her name being called out.

Say it. Say what we both know you're going to say.

The guests watched attentively, unaware of the storm brewing just beneath her polished surface.

Samuel glanced to the side of the stage. "And now," he continued, "I'd like to introduce someone very important."

Mia's brows drew together slightly. Important? Maybe he needed someone to hand over an award to her. Yes. That's what the important person is coming to do.

But as the figure emerge from the edge of the stage, Mia's eyes narrowed.

He moved with a quiet confidence that instantly drew attention. He was young and sharply dressed with tailored suit, a polished shoes that clicked just once on the wooden platform.

When his face completely came into view, her world shifted.

His eyes, they were warm brown with a strange flicker of gold..... her breath dropped cold. Those eyes were familiar. They were the same eyes that stares back at her every time she looks in the mirror.

They were her eyes. Her father's eyes.

And the nose, maybe not hers but definitely her dad's. Though she took her dad's eyes, but her nose were her mom's.

A chill swept over her skin despite the warmth of the room. Her grip on the wine glass tightened.

Samuel placed a firm hand on the man's shoulder, pride blooming across his features in a way Mia had never seen him look at anyone..... not even her.

"My son," Samuel said, his voice loud and unwavering. "Ethan Meyers."

Time froze.

Mia didn't blink. Didn't move. Didn't even breathe.

The words sank into her like lead. The world tilted around her.

Son? Ethan? When? How?

Applause broke out all around her, like thunder crashing into her ears. The ballroom erupted with polite admiration and intrigued whispers, but all Mia could hear was the rushing of blood in her own head.

The name felt like a punch. She turned it over in her mind, tried to make sense of it, but it didn't fit. It couldn't fit.

Her father continued, unaware.... or uncaring.... of the war unraveling in her chest. "Ethan will carry Meyers Industries forward. With fresh eyes and new energy, he'll take what we've built to even greater heights."

The wine glass in her hand suddenly felt like it weighed a hundred pounds. She wanted to drop it. Shatter it. Anything to match the splintering feeling inside her chest.

All the sacrifices. All the sleepless nights. All the loyalty. All the pain. The scar.

This was how he payed her? Not even on any other day. On her birthday. The day he had left for her to supervise and she did like the idiot she always has been.

She'd been replaced. Like she meant nothing. Like she was nothing. Her heart ached in a painful manner. She had force herself to breathe.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

She searched her father's face. Just a glance. A nod. Something to tell her this wasn't what it looked like. That this was a mistake. That this was just a prank. That she still mattered.

But he didn't look her way. Not even once.

And Ethan.... Ethan looked at her and gave her a small smile. But all she could see in those smile of his, were mock. Of course he'll mock her, he had all the right to. She had been so delusional. She'd been so stupid.

Her chest squeezed painfully at the thought of her dad having a son. A son he had never once mentioned.

Not once in all these years. Not during board meetings, not over dinner, not even in passing.

She had been planning her life around a future that wasn't hers to ever begin with. A future her father had now handed to a stranger.

But not just any stranger. It was a brother, who is a stranger.

The applause kept going, but it all blurred together. She barely heard it now. But, she let out a practice smile..... because that's what she had been trained to do. Because, she had to. Because, falling apart in front of New York's most powerful people wasn't an option.

So she raised her glass to her lips and took a slow, steady sip. Her face carefully masked.

The wine tasted like ash. Inside, she was unraveling. But outside, she was perfect.

As her father and Ethan exchanged warm words onstage, Mia made herself one silent promise:

This wasn't over.

She wouldn't disappear. She wouldn't step aside.

If Samuel thought she would crumble quietly, if this "Ethan" thought he could just walk into her life and steal the empire she had built herself around.... then neither of them knew her at all.

Her gaze sharpened as it lingered on Ethan. He stood tall beside her father, basking in applause that should have been hers.

And as the lights dimmed for the evening's next toast, one thought echoed through her mind louder than the music and laughter around her:

He may be Samuel's son. But he would never be her brother. He would never be Meyers.

Chapter 2

The party was over, but the whispers still lingered in the air.

Mia moved through the thinning crowd with practiced grace, her steps measured, her chin held high. On the surface, she was poised.... her gown still immaculate, her smile still polite.... but inside, she was unraveling, thread by thread.

The ballroom, once a stage for her victory, now felt like a trap. A place where her dreams had been paraded in front of her.... only to be crushed in full view of New York's most watchful eyes.

And the painful part was that it was done by someone she had trusted with her life. Her dad.

She could hear the whispers. The looks. And their pity. But she didn't need their pity, definitely not their pity. Because their pity came with a prize, one she wasn't ready to pay.

No one asked her anything directly. They didn't have to. Their silence was its own kind of cruelty.

"Did you know?" their eyes seemed to ask.

"Are you okay?"

"Have you been replaced?"

"She might not be good enough"

Mia didn't flinch. She didn't let it get to her because, they weren't her problem. She Stood tall with her shoulders back, her chest open, and her spine straight. She made sure to Maintain direct eye contact with anyone that smiled at her.

She walked past a cluster of socialites pretending not to stare. Past a photographer who had clearly stayed behind for more than just ambiance shots.

When she walked past Beatrice Stone, a longtime family friend whose affection had always felt more like surveillance.

Beatrice's voice came sugar-sweet and sharp, like a knife dipped in honey. "Darling, what an unexpected turn of events!"

Mia turned to her, calm as glass. "My father has always been like that. Always been unpredictable.," her voice came out smooth and clear, without hesitation. "That was how he was able to maintain and grow such a large empire. Don't you think?"

Beatrice chuckled awkwardly, unsure how to respond. Mia didn't wait for her to find the right words. She kept walking.

Each step was heavier than the last. Her heels clicked against the polished floor like a slow countdown.

When the final guests drifted out and the last echoes of music faded into silence, she was left standing in the bones of her own celebration... glittering lights dimmed, empty champagne flutes still scattered across tables, floral arrangements wilting under the weight of forgotten admiration.

She heard the door open behind her. She didn't have to turn, she already knew who it was.

"Mia," Samuel's voice was gentler than it had been all evening. Like he suddenly remembered he had a daughter.

She turned slowly, her face unreadable. "Enjoy the show?"

He sighed. "Can we talk?"

Mia raised a brow but still followed him without a word. Of course he'd want to talk. Do a damage control, or try to make a fool out of her again.

They walked down the long hallway in silence, past portraits of generations who had built their wealth brick by brick.... men in suits. The legacy she thought she would one day lead.

Samuel pushed open the heavy double doors of his office. The room was warm with amber light, lined with towering bookshelves and the familiar scent of leather and old money.

But tonight, it felt different. It felt smaller and a lot colder.

He leaned against the edge of his desk. "I didn't mean for it to happen this way."

Mia folded her arms over her chest, as her eyes focused on him. "You didn't mean for it to happen at all, or you didn't mean for me to find out like this?"

He didn't answer right away. He just looked at her.... the way a CEO looks at a problem. Calm. Calculated.

"I was going to tell you," he said finally. "I just... I needed the right time."

She let out a quiet laugh. It was short, humorless, mocking. What did he see as? A fool? A child?

"The right time? Of all days, you had to pick my birthday. My event. The event you specifically told me to make special.... to drop that you have a secret son?"

He frowned. "It wasn't meant to be about you. It was about the future. About the company."

"And what about my future?" she snapped, her voice rising for the first time. "Or did that get replaced the second he walked into your life?" She watched him with glaring eyes. She was done being the good girl. Always trying to get on his good book. She just wanted to burn everything to the ground.

Before Samuel could speak, the door creaked open again.

A soft knock. Then followed by a cautious step. Mia twisted her head up as Ethan stepped in like he wasn't sure he should be here. At least he was smart enough to know he doesn't belong here.

His presence had immediately changed the air in the room. Not because he did anything..... but because he existed.

She turned toward him fully, her spine straightening, her expression hardening like armor snapping into place.

He looked uncomfortable, hands tucked into his pockets, like he expected her to pull out a gun, and point it to his head. And ohh, she really was thirsty for his blood.

"Sorry," he said, eyes flicking from her to Samuel. "I wasn't sure if you wanted me to come in."

Mia rolled her eyes. Isn't it obvious? No one wanted him here.

Samuel's tone shifted instantly.... a little softer and welcoming. "Of course, come in, Ethan."

That tone. Mia had never heard that tone directed at her. Not even when she had lost her mom and crying in the garden. He had told her to go inside and read the business books he bought for her. That a weak person can't rule Meyer empire.

As a child, she had swallowed her tears and went to study with a broken heart.

And now here it was, handed over to a man she didn't even know.

Samuel smiled faintly. "I thought now would be a good time for you two to properly meet."

Properly meet? Like they were business associates. Like this wasn't the most earth-shattering betrayal of her life.

Mia's gaze locked onto Ethan's face.

The resemblance was undeniable. The same eyes. The same jawline. The same nose. There was no denying it, he was Samuel's son.

Her father's features, twisted into someone else. He was his carbon copy.

Ethan took a hesitant step forward. "Mia," he said gently. "It's good to finally meet you." She said nothing.

His voice was calm, careful. Like someone walking on ice. He looked sincere.... but that didn't matter. Sincerity didn't erase betrayal.

She studied him for a long moment. The way he stood. The way he fidgeted slightly, unsure of his place. He didn't seem smug. Or arrogant.

But that didn't make her feel any less angry.

Her fingers dug slightly into the armrest of the chair behind her. "How long have you known about me?" she asked, her voice low.

Ethan blinked, surprised by the question. "A while," he admitted. "I just... I wasn't sure how to reach out."

"So you waited until the cameras were rolling?"

"Mia," Samuel interrupted, his voice laced with warning.

She turned on him. "Don't. Father" The word father tasted bitter sweet on her mouth.

There was a silence that felt louder than any shouting.

Ethan cleared his throat. "Look... I didn't ask for this. I didn't come here to replace anyone. I just....."

"You didn't have to ask," Mia cut in sharply. "You showed up. That was enough."

Ethan fell quiet.

Samuel exhaled, stepping between them slightly, as if he could smooth over the jagged edges with another carefully worded explanation. "This isn't about choosing one of you over the other," he said.

She laughed bitterly. "No? Then tell me, who's the one being groomed to lead the company?"

Her father's silence said everything.

Mia took a step back, her jaw tight, her heart thudding painfully behind her ribs. She had walked into this room hoping..... foolishly.... that maybe there would be some logic behind this madness. Some sliver of reassurance that she still had a place.

But now, standing in front of the man who raised her....and the brother she never knew existed.... Mia understood something with a clarity she had never felt before.

Her father hadn't just blindsided her. He had dethroned her. Right here, right now.

And she was done pretending she was okay with it.

She turned toward Ethan slowly, eyes narrowed, voice calm but cutting.

"You may be my father's son," she said, "but you're not my brother." Ethan flinched, but she didn't care.

Samuel cleared his throat, cutting through the stifling silence. "I need you to know that Ethan has been in my life for some time now," he said, his voice as steady and calm as though he were reporting quarterly earnings to the board. "I just thought it was the right moment to bring him into everything. Both personally and for the business."

Mia exhaled slowly, her body sinking into the chair. This was all becoming too much for her. They all knew the 'sometime' he was referring to meant several years. She could bet her both kidneys that, it's been up to ten years..... If not more.

Her hands tightening around the armrest of the chair she had just sunk into. "I still don't get your meaning of 'the right moment' Dad. Correct me if I'm wrong. The 'right moment' is when you decided on your only daughter's birthday, that she wasn't good enough to take over what she's worked her whole life for?" Her words were soft, but the edge of them sliced through the air. Even Samuel flinched.

Chapter 3

He held her gaze firmly, though irritation flickered briefly across his features, "Mia, let's not make this personal," he said, his tone carefully tempered,

"it's not about your capability because you've proven yourself time and again. This is about the bigger picture, about strategy."

Samuel paused, shifting slightly to meet her eyes, "You've seen Jeremiah Sterling's announcement, haven't you, naming his second son as his heir just days ago?"

Mia frowned, her brows knitting together as she thought back because she had seen the announcement.

It had been all over the business news, and Sterling, Samuel's longest-standing rival had publicly declared that his youngest son, Harrison, would take over Sterling Enterprises.

It had been bold and calculated move, designed to shore up his company's reputation while sending a clear message to the market that the Sterling legacy was unshakable.

A cold knot began to form in Mia's stomach as realization crept over her. Samuel continued, his words slicing through the room with precision.

"Jeremiah is showing strength," Samuel said bluntly, "he's putting forward a male figure who will be perceived as strong, decisive, capable of standing toe-to-toe with me in the market.

We can't afford to look weak beside him because investors, partners, they look at these things and they judge, they weigh who they believe has the most formidable leadership, and perception is everything."

Mia stared at him, her chest tightening with every word because it was clicking into place now, and it was colder and sharper than anything she'd anticipated, "You don't think I can do that," she said quietly, disbelief creeping into her voice alongside a raw, undeniable hurt, "you don't think I'm strong enough."

Samuel sighed heavily, rubbing a hand over his forehead, "It's not about my belief, Mia, it's about perception because Sterling will exploit your gender to make us look weak.

He'll frame you as vulnerable, as someone he can outmaneuver, and I won't let him gain that advantage."

From the corner of the room, Ethan shifted uncomfortably, his voice breaking the tension, "He explained some of this to me," Ethan said, his words cautious, careful not to provoke, "he believes that having a male figure at the forefront right now is crucial for the company's image."

"Crucial?" Mia repeated slowly, the word bitter on her tongue, "so all my work, my years of dedication, everything I've sacrificed comes down to my gender being a liability in your petty war with Jeremiah Sterling?"

"It's not petty!" Samuel snapped, his calm demeanor cracking for the first time, "this is about protecting everything I've built, everything our family has worked hard for.

And Sterling wants Meyers Industries to falter, so I need someone at the helm who projects power, someone Sterling will see as a threat."

"And that someone is him?" Mia gestured sharply toward Ethan, her anger no longer simmering but boiling over.

Samuel nodded firmly, his tone resolute, "Ethan understands the stakes and he's willing to learn, he's eager to fight for this company, and he'll be a strong front against Sterling."

Mia didn't even try to hide her disdain as she scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief, "And what about me, the woman who has spent her entire life preparing for this moment, you expect me to just step aside and what, cheer him on from the sidelines?"

Samuel's expression didn't falter, his voice calm but commanding, "No, I expect you to help him because you understand this business better than anyone, Mia.

The markets, our competitors, the strategies that keep Meyers Industries thriving, you know them inside out, and you need to teach Ethan everything he needs to know to step into this role."

Mia stared at him, her chest tight with rage and disbelief, "You want me to train him?" she asked, her voice laced with disbelief, "you're sidelining me, dismissing everything I've worked for, and now you want me to hand him the knowledge it took me twenty-eight years to build?"

"Ethan is family, Mia, he's your brother," Samuel said firmly, "and he's ready to step up, so you will work with him because it's what the company needs."

Her gaze flicked to Ethan, who looked at her with an awkward mix of apology and unease.

The absurdity of it all stung because he was the outsider, the stranger who had been thrust into her world and handed everything she'd fought for on a silver platter, and now Samuel expected her to be his teacher, his guide.

Mia's jaw tightened as she stood, her hands curling into fists, "I'll think about it," she said, her voice clipped, refusing to show him how deeply she was wounded because her father wasn't just dismissing her, he was using her, expecting her to help the person who had replaced her.

She had already taken a step toward the door, her intent clear because she would not stay and entertain such a conversation any longer.

"Mia," Samuel's voice, sharp and commanding, stopped her in her tracks, and he remained seated, his posture rigid, his jaw clenched, "sit down."

Mia turned slightly, just enough to meet his gaze, "I don't think there's anything left to say, Father," she replied, her voice firm but calm, a deliberate choice to mask the fury roiling inside her, and she reached for the door handle, every instinct screaming for escape.

"Ethan," Samuel said, trying to sound friendly but still glaring at Mia, "thanks for coming, and maybe you could leave Mia and me alone for a bit because we have some family stuff to talk about."

Ethan nodded quickly, looking relieved, "Sure, Dad, I'll be in the car if you need me," and he gave Mia a quick, almost sorry look before the big door clicked shut behind him, leaving Mia alone in the office.

Mia having no choice walked back into the office but refused to sit because she just wanted to get this done with and leave this place.

Samuel walked to the window, looking at all the city lights, "Mia, you're so important to this company. What you know, what you've done, we really need that," and he turned back, looking thoughtful, "which is why I have an idea for you."

Mia raised her eyebrows like she didn't believe him, "An idea, after basically telling me I'm not good enough and my little brother is better?"

"Just listen," Samuel said, trying to sound convincing, "I know you're upset and you feel left out, but this doesn't have to be the end of your chances here because actually it could be the start of something even bigger," he stopped, letting his words hang in the air while Mia stayed quiet, waiting.

"Mia," Samuel went on, his voice softer and more persuasive, "I've been thinking about your future, and I think I've found a way that helps everyone and most importantly keeps the company safe from Sterling," he stepped closer, looking serious, "Mia, I want you to marry Julian."