Ruby's POV
The chapel stood before me like a monument to everything I'd lost. Pink roses cascaded from every archway, white lilies adorned each pew. My favorite flowers, arranged for someone else's perfect day.
The guests had already taken their seats, designer gowns rustling against polished wood. Soon, the man who once whispered promises in my ear would stand at that altar, pledging his life to another woman.
Everything was flawless. Except the bride wasn't me.
"I need to speak with Stanley. Today." My voice cracked as I faced the stone-faced bodyguard blocking the entrance.
Behind me sat my pathetic collection of belongings - a battered suitcase and two cardboard boxes containing my entire existence.
The guard's lip curled in disgust. "Absolutely not. Move along."
His eyes held the same contempt I'd grown accustomed to seeing. The look reserved for desperate ex-girlfriends who crash weddings. But desperation had driven me here, and I wouldn't leave empty-handed.
"Either you let me see him, or I'll make a scene right here where every guest can witness it," I whispered fiercely.
Stanley would never risk that embarrassment. Not today of all days.
Today belonged to Kate Karl, sister to Alpha Elias Karl of Cameron Pack. The ultimate prize in high society's marriage market.
Every ambitious man in the city knew that claiming Kate meant instant elevation from nobody to somebody. Stanley had calculated those odds perfectly, choosing the golden ticket over the girl who'd stood by him through years of struggling obscurity.
He'd traded our shared dreams for her family's fortune, discarding me like yesterday's newspaper.
The betrayal burned through my chest like acid.
"Let me in, or I start screaming," I choked out.
The bodyguard's frown deepened before he finally reached for his phone. After a brief, hushed conversation, he gestured toward the entrance.
I dragged my belongings through the chapel doors, immediately suffocated by the atmosphere of wealth. Designer perfumes mingled in the air, manicured fingers adjusted pearl necklaces, not a single hair dared escape its styled perfection.
Then there was me. Baggy t-shirt hanging loose over worn jeans, sneakers with holes that let in the cold.
"Dear God, looks like street trash wandered in. The smell is nauseating," a woman muttered as I passed.
My face burned with shame. I'd showered that morning, my hair still carried hints of strawberry shampoo. But apparently poverty had its own distinctive scent that expensive soap couldn't wash away.
"Mr. Mitchell is waiting inside," the guard directed me toward a closed door. "Make it brief."
The room beyond belonged in a luxury magazine. Marble floors reflected crystal chandeliers, white carpets soft enough to sleep on. Every surface gleamed with the kind of perfection that money could buy.
And there he stood. The man who'd once been my entire world.
Stanley adjusted his bow tie before an ornate mirror, every inch the picture of refined elegance. Time hadn't dimmed his devastating good looks - no wonder Kate had fallen under his spell.
When those stunning blue eyes met mine in the reflection, my treacherous heart still skipped.
"Hello, Stanley." The words felt foreign on my tongue.
Pathetic. After everything he'd done, that was my opening line?
His expression froze into arctic indifference. "You don't belong here, Ruby. That ratty luggage, those torn jeans, those cheap shoes - none of it fits in my world anymore."
His cruelty hit like a physical blow, but I forced myself to stand straighter.
"Don't I deserve some explanation? You ended four years through a fucking email!" Anger gave strength to my voice.
He shrugged with casual dismissal. "Look around. The most powerful people in the country came to celebrate my wedding. This tuxedo costs more than you'll earn in a lifetime. What other explanation could you possibly need?"
The coldness in his voice was absolute. I'd always known he possessed a calculating streak, but I'd never imagined it ran this deep.
"Maybe chasing after the Alpha's sister fast-tracked your success. But when Kate discovers how shallow and heartless you really are, you'll lose everything."
Fire flashed across his features. "I'm perfectly capable of love. I simply refuse to waste it on small-town trash like you. Are we finished here?"
"Not even close."
I steadied my breathing, preparing for the real confrontation. "You're marrying your rich princess. Fine. But why did you have to destroy my career?"
His company, Zenith Corp, had been my workplace for years. What started as an internship had grown into a full-time position, with Stanley as my direct supervisor. Our secret office romance had seemed like a fairytale until I discovered his engagement to the CEO's sister. Along with my termination notice.
"Ah yes, your precious job." He smirked with infuriating smugness. "You only got hired because of my influence. Now that I'm moving up in the world, maybe they finally realized how useless you really are. Problem?"
Rage exploded through my veins. "I graduated valedictorian. Survived seven grueling interview rounds. Exceeded every sales target they set. I earned that position!"
"Oh Ruby, still so beautifully naive."
He moved closer, his smile turning predatory. "You passed those interviews because I recommended you. Your sales numbers? I personally contacted each client for you. Without my protection, you're nothing but a pretty face with big dreams."
He reached out to grip my chin, examining me like merchandise. I slapped his hand away violently.
"Give me my job back," I demanded, my voice barely steady. "My father's debts, my grandmother's medical expenses - I need that income. You know what it's like to be poor. Don't make me grovel."
I was surrendering every scrap of dignity, laying my desperation bare.
His laughter was like broken glass. "Actually, I have a proposal for you."
His fingers traced along my collarbone, making my skin crawl. "You and I never consummated our relationship. All that ridiculous waiting-for-marriage nonsense. Maybe it's time you grew up. Sleep with me once, and I'll write you a very generous check. Interested?"
Shock rendered me speechless for a heartbeat. Then my palm connected with his cheek in a resounding slap.
"WHAT THE HELL! I'm getting married in ten minutes!" he roared, clutching his reddening face.
"Go to hell, Stanley!" I screamed back. "You're nothing but a spineless, gold-digging parasite! Congratulations on your wedding - I hope you can't get it up tonight!"
I stormed out, dragging my belongings behind me while his furious curses echoed through the hallway.
Tears streamed down my face as I fled. This couldn't get any worse.
I'd been prepared to sacrifice every shred of self-respect, to beg on my knees if necessary. Because I desperately needed that job, that money.
Instead, I'd let him provoke me into losing control.
What now? My meager salary had barely covered rent, father's debts, and grandmother's medical bills. Without work, I'd already been evicted. Tonight I'd probably sleep on a park bench.
Should I swallow my pride, return to that room, and let him humiliate me further?
Never. I'd rather starve.
"Watch where you're going!" someone shouted.
Too late. I crashed into the man directly ahead of me.
He was massive - like colliding with a stone wall. His diamond cufflink caught my thin shirt as we connected, the sharp edge slicing through the fabric with an audible tear.
Suddenly my shirt gaped open, exposing my white lace bra to the world.
I gasped and looked up into the most devastatingly handsome face I'd ever seen. Sculptured features that belonged in an art museum, framed by an expression of distant coldness.
When those stormy gray eyes met mine, I felt like I was drowning.
Recognition hit me like lightning.
This was Alpha Elias Karl himself. CEO of Zenith Corporation. Stanley's soon-to-be brother-in-law.
The most powerful man in the city.
"Ruby Ross." His voice was velvet over steel.
He looked down at my exposed bra, and something shifted in those gray depths. Wherever his gaze touched, my skin ignited with unexpected heat.
But how did he know my name?