Chapter 1
Brynna's POV
My best friend, Elaina, had been a runaway bride eight times in three years. But that day, with flushed cheeks, she told me she had finally met her true love and actually wanted to get married.
On that exact same day, my 22nd proposal to Kieran was rejected—again. Over the past eight years, I handed over my paychecks to him, gave him all my jewelry patents, and turned down overseas job offers, all to get a wedding in return. Yet, all I ever got was his usual, "Just wait a little longer."
That night, I found out the man Elaina was going to marry was Kieran.
Elaina Voss and I grew up together, but our approaches to marriage couldn't have been more different.
In three years, she ran away from eight weddings. Meanwhile, I had been with Kieran Alden for eight years, proposed 22 times, and never even got a glimpse of a wedding.
For eight years, only three people knew about our relationship: me, him, and Elaina.
The first time I proposed, he said, "I just took over the company. The board is watching me, I can't afford any distractions."
The fifth time: "The prenup isn't finalized yet."
The tenth time: "Your mother needs to rest. Don't cause a fuss right now."
The 22nd time, he just rubbed his temples. "Brynna, marriage isn't like drawing a design draft that you can just revise and finalize."
"Then when will it be finalized?"
"When my position as CEO is totally secure. Then we'll go public."
He used that same excuse for eight years.
That night, I put the ring back in my pocket and met up with Elaina.
At The Amber Jay, she ordered two whiskies. "Failed for the 22nd time?"
"You're too lazy to even come up with a new way to comfort me."
"Because I've always told you, if a man really wants to marry you, he won't even wait for tomorrow." She swirled her glass. "Unlike you, waiting in line for eight years."
I drank in silence. He always said he loved me, just that the timing was wrong.
Elaina suddenly chuckled, typing rapidly on her phone like a high schooler in love.
"Who is it?"
She pressed her phone against the table. "Mr. Big."
"Aren't you terrified of marriage? You ran away eight times."
She looked up, and for the first time, there was no teasing in her eyes. "I changed my mind after meeting him. I want to get married. Really."
I arched an eyebrow, a teasing smile breaking through. "'Mr. Big,' huh? Just how big are we talking?"
Elaina just flashed a wicked smirk.
She downed a few more shots and sank into the sofa, her cheeks flushed. I reached out to help her up. "Stop drinking. Tell me who he is, and I'll take you home."
"I'm not telling." She smiled mysteriously. "Anyway, he'll only choose me."
I grabbed her phone and dialed the number saved as 'Mr. Big'.
It connected almost instantly.
A familiar male voice spoke, low and laced with a smile. "Elaina, are you drunk?"
My whole body froze.
"Don't move around, I'm right here in the bar. A few guys have been staring at you. I don't want you getting taken away the second I turn my back."
The tone was intimate, exactly like lovers whispering. Elaina closed her eyes, a faint smile on her lips, as if she already knew where the man on the phone was.
"Look up," he said. "I see you."
Kieran was standing by the bar, phone in hand.
The glass slipped from my fingers and shattered on the floor.
He saw me, but there was no surprise on his face. He simply put his phone in his pocket and walked over to us.
"What are you doing here?"
He bent down and scooped Elaina into his arms. She naturally wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest.
"Let's get her home first," he said. "I'll explain everything to you."
"You're Mr. Big?"
He didn't answer.
For eight years, I turned down jobs for him, took care of his family, and even let him manage my bank accounts. I told myself that maybe, once I heard his explanation, things could go back to normal.
So, I got into his car.
It was my first time ever sitting in Kieran's car.
In the past, whenever I wanted to sit in the passenger seat, he would look at me coldly. "I'm a clean freak. The smell of your perfume gives me a headache while driving." I washed off the perfume and wore unscented clothes, but he still refused. "If my colleagues see you in my car, rumors will spread. Everyone will say your designs made it into Solene just because of me."
Right now, the car reeked of Elaina's alcohol breath, but he didn't even frown.
She leaned her head on his shoulder, her fingers tracing his collar. "Mr. Big, you finally came to take me away."
"Be good," he said, holding her hand gently.
She looked up and kissed him. He just wiped a drop of liquor from her lip. "Stop messing around, you might hit your head."
I rolled down the window, letting the freezing wind pour in.
Kieran reached over and rolled it up. "Keep it closed, Elaina will catch a cold."
I laughed bitterly. "Since when did you become so caring?"
"Don't be so dramatic." He looked at me through the rearview mirror. "I'll give you a reasonable explanation."
"Reasonable enough to spend the night with her?"
His face darkened.
Suddenly, Elaina reached out to hug him. Startled, Kieran yanked the steering wheel. The car slammed into the guardrail, throwing me violently against the window.
Glass shattered. Blinding pain erupted in my forehead, and blood instantly covered half my face.
"Kieran..." I groaned, clutching my wound.
He immediately unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over to check on Elaina. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine," she said, leaning weakly into his arms.
It wasn't until we arrived at the hospital that he finally spared me a glance. "Support Elaina. I'll go sort out the paperwork."
Fighting off a wave of dizziness, I got out and held onto the woman who, moments ago, seemed completely wasted.
But the second Kieran's back disappeared through the ER doors, Elaina stood up perfectly straight. Her eyes were chillingly sober.
