The Day I Broke Her

I followed my fiance all the way to the multimillion-dollar hotel I gave her when we first started dating. It was to be our wedding spot, and the words printed on the welcome banner were now an eyesore.'Congratulations on the wedding, Ms. Zoey Chandler and Mr. Bartholomew Lawson.'On the perfectly decorated wedding photo was Zoey Chandler, beaming in a wedding gown. The guy who had his arm around her? Not me. Instead, it was Bartholomew, her male secretary, who texted her earlier.That answered everything. No wonder she didn't want to hold a grand wedding. "I already have to put up with all the actors at work. All I want is a quiet wedding trip."She went through the photoshoot, the wedding, and took the license with someone else. Before I went into the hotel, I grabbed a phone and made a call.Then I took a seat with the best view. As the host made their announcement, Zoey's father came in holding her hand as they went on with the procession. Slowly, they stopped beside me.

My attitude rubbed someone the wrong way. They told Zoey, "I think you're too kind with your employees. A secretary shouldn't be messing with your wedding. The gall! I'd have fired him if I were you. Teach him a lesson!"The other guests agreed right away. Zoey looked at me and started chastising me like I was her employee. "I can't keep you around anymore, not after this. But you've been a loyal man. You've worked hard. I'll assign you to a subsidiary. You won't really lose your job. But if you don't know your place, I will fire you!"That got a lot of cheering from the crowd."That's a successful business owner for you! She gives second chances even to scum!"I spat in the face of that offer and sneered. "You, firing me? I'd like to see you try. Go on!"Someone sarcastically remarked, "Of course. Termination doesn't scare him. He can sell his body. Not like secretaries make much anyway."Everyone gave me weird looks. Then, a greasy, half-naked guy leered at me. I saw him drool.

Eventually, I saw the man. George Goatse, manager of the hotel. A sliver of hope swelled in my heart. He was a veteran who worked for my dad and had watched me grow up.When my dad gave me the hotel, he asked George to help me out. He acted every part the dutiful underling and swore he would work for me loyally. Now he saw me disheveled and violated, and he went white with terror.With a shaking voice, he said, "What is going on?"Zoey's father said, "This homewrecker tried to start a scene at my daughter's wedding, and the townsfolk stood up for her. We taught him a lesson already. My daughter agreed to this. Ask her."Zoey could do nothing but nod. George was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He looked at me, then at Zoey. Finally, he made up his mind. Clenching his teeth, he slowly backed toward the entrance."Lesson well taught. He should never have crossed Mr. and Mrs. Lawson. I have to go. Work calls."Fury flared within my heart. With warning dripping from my tone,

I looked at her from up high. Quietly, I said, "The tables have turned, Mrs. Lawson."The screen now showed a resume. Mine.'Winston Artemisia, only son of Henry Artemisia, Imperia's richest man. He is a graduate of the world's top arts academy and the only heir to Goodvista Group.'Then the screen also played the interview that happened at the international finance summit. It also showed a picture of my diva mother with her arm around my shoulder while we were at the Grammy awards.The crowd was shaken. The townsfolk who hurled insults at me had all the color drained out of their faces. Their legs were buckling, and some even fell."He's the son of Imperia's richest man!""Oh, shit. We just made an enemy out of him!""Are we going to prison for this? Are we… are we finished for good?"Bartholomew snapped out of his fear and shoved Zoey away. He jabbed a finger at her and screamed, "She lied to me! She told me she was a multimillionaire who started with nothing, not a sugar bab