Chapter 1 The Bride's Escape

"Come on, Mr. Wilson. Be reasonable, will you? Your fiancée started yelling at me first!" Charlotte Harris stared at the man in front of her, his face cold but still devastatingly handsome, with a look of exasperation.

Alexander Wilson glared down at her, his voice icy and precise. "If you hadn't argued with her, would she have stormed off?"

"We didn't argue. She barged in, started yelling about how unhappy she was with the wedding setup, and demanded it be redone. There's less than an hour until the wedding—how am I supposed to redo everything?" Charlotte was at her wit's end. Rich folks were really hard to please.

The wedding was set up exactly as she had requested. Yesterday, she said she was thrilled and loved it. Today, out of nowhere, she threw a fit and ran off. Rich girls could be so capricious!

Everyone in Phoenix City knew that Alexander Wilson, heir to the Wilson Group, had a fiancée he'd known since childhood. They were often seen together in newspapers and on TV—handsome man, beautiful woman, a perfect match.

The Wilson Group owned the largest film and television enterprise in the country, producing half of the nation's TV shows and movies. Their celebrities were all well-known. Besides entertainment, they were also involved in retail, food, and fashion, making them the top group in Phoenix City.

At twenty-nine, Alexander was both wealthy and influential, the richest man in Madison State, and a regular on global rich lists, one of the most influential people in the world.

With such a dazzlingly wealthy man, everything had to be perfect. His fiancée's background was equally illustrious in Phoenix City.

Sophia Taylor, daughter of the Taylor family, the second most influential family in Phoenix City, renowned for their jewelry business. Their company, Grace Jewelry, employed top designers from around the world and was a prestigious brand.

It was only a matter of time before these two families became in-laws. They had been betrothed since childhood, and Sophia marrying into another wealthy family was a natural progression.

But no one expected the bride to run away an hour before the wedding, leaving twenty-six-year-old Sophia to embarrass Alexander at the wedding venue.

Faced with Alexander's accusations, the usually strong and independent Charlotte didn't argue back. After all, who could be in a good mood in such a situation?

However, he blamed her entirely for Sophia's runaway act, and at twenty-two, just starting her career, Charlotte felt overwhelmed.

"It's not your fault that you're young, but don't you get that the customer is always right?" Alexander's face was expressionless, his voice even colder.

If it weren't for his uncle's strong recommendation, he wouldn't have chosen this wedding planning company or this woman. What kind of top planner was she if Sophia ran away?

Today's lesson: young people couldn't be trusted.

"She was satisfied yesterday. Who knew she'd change her mind so fast? But I don't think she'd run away just because of that, so you can't put all the blame on me." Charlotte looked up, meeting his ice-cold stare.

Their eyes locked, and the air seemed to thin. The two staff members present felt the tension and shrank back in fear.

Alexander was about to speak when his phone buzzed. It was a message from Sophia.

The little hope he had shattered as he read the message.

"Alexander, forgive me for leaving without a word. I still haven't figured out if I want to spend my life with you. Don't come looking for me because you won't find me. This time, it's my fault. I'm sorry."

Alexander let out a bitter laugh. So this was the real reason she ran away.

"Just once? Sophia, are you sure you've only deceived me once?" he whispered softly.

You said you wanted to marry me, and now you're running away. Sophia, what do you take me for? Something you pick up on a whim and discard when you lose interest, or just one of your many backup boyfriends?

Fine, very well!

Don't think I, Alexander, can't live without you!

Alexander's eyes turned cold as he looked at the pretty woman in front of him, pulling her up and marching towards the dressing room.

Charlotte was startled by his sudden move. She stumbled after him, hurriedly saying, "I know I made some mistakes. I apologize..."

"If I'm not mistaken, your father is the new mayor of River City, Robert Harris, right?" He suddenly stopped, and Charlotte bumped into his chest.

"Throwing yourself at me? I didn't expect Ms. Harris to be so enthusiastic." He sneered, staring at her delicate face.

Charlotte quickly stepped back, stunned. How did he know?

She had kept it a secret, but considering his resources, it wasn't surprising. But what did he mean by bringing it up now?

"Your father has been close to some colleagues recently, but they've all been arrested for corruption." Alexander's smile turned dangerous. "Corruption is something people usually turn a blind eye to, but I suddenly find your father's position as mayor very interesting."

"What do you mean?" Charlotte's brows furrowed. What was he trying to do? "If my father hasn't done anything wrong, you can investigate all you want."

Alexander chuckled wickedly. "I know your father is clean, but I can make sure he isn't. I, Alexander, have that ability."

"You're shameless! What do you want?" Charlotte gritted her teeth, wishing she could strangle him.

This was a blatant threat!