Chapter 3
MADDIE
I didn't go back to my apartment. The image of Wyatt and Lizzie having sex in my very own bed was clear as day. I wanted to wait until tomorrow to cancel my wedding on the day itself, but I figured I could only take one humiliation in a day. It wouldn't do me any good to make a scene on my wedding day.
I parked outside my parents' house. I hadn't even fully entered the house yet, but I could already hear my parents' loud voices as they argued.
"What's going on?" I immediately asked upon entering the living room. They both fell silent, as if I had caught their hands in a cookie jar. "What's happening here, Dad?" I repeated.
"Nothing, sweetheart," my father responded, forcing a smile onto his face.
I squinted my eyes at him, eyeing him suspiciously. I knew something was wrong when he acted this way.
"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at your hotel, getting your beauty rest for the wedding tomorrow?" he asked, trying to change the topic.
I let out a loud sigh before walking toward the couch. I slumped onto it. "There will be no wedding, Dad," I said, pouting my lips.
"What!" they both shouted in unison.
I almost winced in pain as their loud voices nearly burst my eardrums.
"What do you mean there will be no wedding?" my mom asked as she quickly walked toward me, standing in front of me with both of her hands on her waist.
"It's over," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I caught Wyatt with Lizzie."
A heavy silence fell over the room. My mother's expression softened for a moment, but then hardened with determination.
"Sweetheart, maybe you misunderstood," my mother started, her voice tinged with desperation. "You've been under a lot of stress lately. Are you sure about what you saw?"
"Mom, I know what I saw," I replied firmly, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. "Wyatt and Lizzie were having s3x in my own apartment! I can't marry him."
"But think about your future," my dad interjected, his tone pleading. "You've planned everything; the guests have arrived; the money we've spent..."
"Money?" I interrupted, my voice rising. "Is that all you care about? I'm not going to marry someone who cheated on me!"
"Maddie, listen to us," my mom continued, her voice soft but insistent. "Every couple has their problems. This is something you can work through. Wyatt made a mistake, but that doesn't mean you throw everything away."
"I can't believe you're saying this," I said, feeling a mix of anger and betrayal. "You want me to just ignore what he did?"
"We're not saying that," my dad said, trying to placate me. "But sometimes, it's better to forgive and move on. Think of the life you've built together and the dreams you shared."
"And what about my self-respect?" I shot back. "What about my happiness? Do they mean nothing to you?"
"Maddie, we just want what's best for you," my mom said, her eyes pleading. "Wyatt can change. People make mistakes."
"I can't believe this," I muttered, shaking my head. "I need to think."
I stood up and headed for the door, needing to get away from their voices and their disappointment. I needed to clear my head and figure out what to do next. I paused at the doorway and turned back to face them.
"I appreciate that you want to protect me, but marrying Wyatt is not what's best for me," I said, my voice steady.
"You have to marry Wyatt!" My father insisted. This is the first time that my father has raised his voice at me.
"No, I won't!" I firmly replied.
"Maddie, I'm begging you; you have to," he pleaded, which keeps me puzzled.
First, he raises his voice at me. And now, he was practically begging me to do it, which is very odd for him. I am his princess and his only daughter. He used to hand me everything I wanted without question. He's always so protective of me. Why the hell is he insisting that I should marry that prick?
"Dad, what's really going on? Why do you insist that I marry Wyatt? Didn't you hear what I just said?" I asked in confusion. "Of all people, you should be the one telling me not to settle with that cheating bastard."
"I hate to put you in this position, sweetheart. But this is the only thing I'd ask from you. Marry Wyatt. Just bear it for a year, then you can seek divorce," he said.
"Dad, I can't do that just because you say so. I need you to tell me why," I insisted.
Mom and dad both look at each other. They both blew a breath before my father started explaining to me the situation.
"We needed their money for our business to thrive. We're going bankrupt, and the Grants promised us a ten million-dollar investment. With that money, I can make our company survive this. For us to make sure that this business deal will be successful, you have to proceed with the wedding," he explained.
I completely understood the situation, but why did I feel like they were selling off their daughter just to save their business?
"If I say no?" I asked, weighing the situation carefully.
"I was hoping you wouldn't, but if you do..." my father's words hung in the air.
"Then we have to sell everything, including this house," my mother finished for him. "And when I say everything, I mean everything."
"That bad, huh?" I uttered, biting my lower lip as I thoroughly assessed our situation. I watched my dad wrap his arm around my mother's shoulder as if assuring her that everything would be alright.
All my life, my parents have provided me with everything I wanted. Anything I asked for, no matter how lavish, they would give it to me without hesitation. A pampered princess—that's what they called me.
Though this would be hard for me, I didn't think I had a choice. I let out a loud sigh.
"I only have to live with him for a year, right? Then, after that, I can divorce him," I repeated.
Their faces immediately brightened upon hearing my answer. It was quite a relief to see how happy they looked when I said yes.
"Yes, sweetheart, just a year," my father said, his voice filled with relief. "You can endure that, can't you?"
I nodded, feeling a knot tighten in my stomach. "I guess I can."
"Thank you, Maddie," my mother said, tears welling up in her eyes. "You don't know how much this means to us."
I managed a small smile, trying to hide my own turmoil. "I know, Mom. I know."
As they hugged me, I felt a pang of guilt and sadness. They were happy, but at what cost? I was sacrificing my happiness and self-respect to save them from financial ruin. I understood their desperation, but it didn't make it any easier to accept.