My Christmas Husband Is A Secret Billionaire

CHLOE’S POINT OF VIEW.

“Your fiancé is cheating on you with your step-sister.”

I read the words on the rough tissue paper three times before I gave it an eye roll. My fiancé? My Derek? It was impossible. My fingers tightened around the piece of paper until it crumpled in my hand.

No, it couldn’t be true. It was Christmas morning; Derek agreed to have our wedding day today because of how much I’d always wanted it. It was the happiest day of my life, and nothing could ruin it.

Outside the dressing room windows, thousands of tiny golden lights twinkled across the Bennet estate. Red ribbons wrapped around the white pillars. Evergreen wreaths hung from every doorway, and a massive Christmas tree stood in the foyer, decorated with gold ornaments and white lights.

Somewhere downstairs, a Christmas carol played softly, blending with the sound of guests laughing. The church bells would ring in less than an hour, and I was supposed to walk down the aisle and marry the man I loved.

My fiancé. The man I trusted with my heart. I glanced at the crumpled tissue paper; its scribbled text flashing in my mind. ‘Your fiancé is cheating on you with your mother.’

Who would write something like this?

Derek had no crazy exes I knew about; neither did I. We were each other’s firsts. So how could this…? My stomach twisted with something unfamiliar, something no bride should feel on her wedding day as I thought back to my stepsister. She had been helping me with my wedding all morning. She’d adjusted my veil herself.

She cried when she saw me in my wedding gown, and left to ensure the flowers I wanted would get here soon enough. She said she was proud of me…so how could it…?

She couldn’t possibly be…

“Chloe?” I nearly jumped at the voice. The door opened, and my wedding coordinator poked her head inside. “Are you ready?” I quickly slapped the note behind the box of makeup on the vanity, my lips stretched into a pained smile.

“Five more minutes.”

“Okay, you sure?” Her eyes glanced up and down my body.

“Y-yes…” I swallowed, taking a look at myself in the mirror again. “Y-you know what? I can go now.”

“Alright!” she clapped over her clipboard. “Everyone is already waiting for you, including your fiancé.”

“H-he’s already there?” My voice came out strangely weak, but she didn’t seem to notice. That means the note isn’t true; if Derek is waiting for me, he must not be cheating.

Right?

“Yes, of course.” She glanced at the clock. “Better not make him wait so long.” She laughed lightly before closing the door. I stared at it; my fiancé was already at the church. So how could he be cheating on me?

I looked back at the note; the stranger who had given it to me was an old maid. She didn’t sign a name or explain anything. Just handed me the note and dipped.

Against my better judgment, I decided to follow the nudge in my spine. I grabbed the crumpled note, pulled the rough tissue paper open. The words stared back at me, but there was something else beneath them. Written in very tiny font, I had to squint to see it.

‘Come to the garden, see for yourself.’

Whoever that maid was, or whoever had written it, knew exactly where to send me. This was too specific to be some random accusation. I swallowed despite the pain in my throat; “No.” I crumpled the note again, shaking my head.

I’m not going; I shouldn’t even be thinking about this. It's my wedding day; I wasn’t going to let some anonymous piece of paper destroy the most important day of my life. I walked toward the mirror; the woman staring back at me barely looked real./

My white wedding gown was from my birth mother’s wardrobe, but reimagined. It flowed around my feet, covered in delicate crystals that shone under the Christmas lights. My hair was pinned beneath a veil, and tiny pearls glimmered against my ears.

I looked like a bride; a happy bride. My fiancé had slipped it onto my finger six months ago; he had promised me forever, looked me in the eyes, and told me I was the only woman he would ever love.

And I believed him.

I loved him, so I believed him. That’s why this note hurt so much, because a tiny, treacherous part of me was terrified. I reached for my phone, then dialled his number. It rang for what felt like forever until the line went dead.

No answer…my lips curled with a frown. Derek always answered my calls.

Maybe he’s busy or too nervous?

I dialed again, biting my fingernails, my knees bouncing against the seat. Still, there was no answer. So I called my stepsister; it went straight to voicemail. I stared at my phone, then at the crumpled note. I rolled my eyes hard with a chuckle. ‘This is nonsense; it’s my wedding day! Derek is already at the altar; of course he doesn’t have his phone. And Stella is probably walking about making sure everything is okay.

She’s walking me down the aisle.” I stared at my reflection. “Stop thinking, Chloe, and go marry the love of your life.”

I pulled open the door. My wedding coordinator, Ava, stared at me. “Ready?”

“Yes.” I returned the smile. "Let's go get me married.”

Together, we walked out of there, heading down the long way through the dimly lit hallway leading to the cathedral. That’s when Ava realized I didn’t have my bouquet. “Chloe, where is your bouquet?”

“Oh.” I chuckled, looking at my bare hands. “Stella, my stepsister, said she would go get it for me.”

“Let me go find her; I think I saw her in the garden not too long ago.” She muttered, already stepping away. My heart slammed against my ribcage; my breathing slowed.

“W-wait…g-garden?” I blinked, grabbing her wrist before she left. “D-did you j-just say g-garden?”

“Yes.” Ava nodded. “I saw her there about five minutes ago. I thought she left the church too early; maybe she went to get the bouquet.”

“I-“

“Wait here, I’ll go find her for you.”

“No.” My voice came out shaky. “I’ll come with.”

Might it just be a coincidence…? Stella forgot my flowers, so she went to get them; that’s all. Ava gave me a strange, worried look before she nodded. Grabbing my hand, she led me in the opposite direction from the cathedral, to the garden instead. We had barely walked a few steps to the door that led to it when my ears tingled.

Sounds... strange grunts and moans spilled past the closed door into the hallway, echoing all around us. Ava’s cheeks burned. “These guests. They’re always doing something stupid.” She chuckled. “Would you like to wait here so I can get it?”

“No.” My voice no longer shook, but my vision turned hazy. “I want to see for myself.”

From the corner of my eye, she flashed me a strange look before she walked ahead. The moans and grunts still spilled, landing right against my heart. I would have called its bluff again if I hadn’t heard, “Yes, Derek! Give it to me, please.”

My palms trembled, a lone tear trailing down my cheek. Ava stopped, her eyes wide as if she suspected the same thing I did. “I-I think I should go get it, Chloe. You can go to the church instead.”

“Open the door, Ava.” My voice came out emotionless.