Page 299 of Billionaire Temptations

Anna

Each of my bridesmaids gave me a hug and left the bridal room to take their places. A few moments after they left, there was a light knock on the door, and when I opened it, my best friend, Franco, stood there holding my veil.

“Your veil.” He grinned as he stared at me from head to toe. “You look absolutely beautiful, Anna.”

“Thank you. Get in here!” I smiled as I pulled him inside the room.

I stood in front of the three-way mirror and stared at my reflection.

“You really outdid yourself with my wedding dress,” I spoke to him.

“You deserve only the best, Anna.” He smiled as he placed the veil he made on my head. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

I walked to the balcony and stared out at my future husband, waiting for me with approximately two hundred guests who had properly taken their seats.

Franco took hold of my hand and lightly gripped it as he stood next to me.

“You don’t have to do this. There is always plan B.”

“I know. I better get down there. I’m late, and my dad’s going to kill me.”

He let go of my hand, held out his arm, and walked me to the back of the hotel and down the stairs, where my father waited for me.

“You’re late,” my father said as I took his arm. “That is disrespectful to Matthew and your guests, Anna.”

“Franco had to fix a button on my dress. It came loose.”

The music started to play, and I took a deep breath. My stomach was tied in knot after knot, walking down the white runner as every single guest stared at me. This was what was expected of me. But the thing was, I was never good at doing ‘the expected’. I stared at my future husband as he stared back at me. Even his stare was annoying. We were almost to the end of the aisle when I came to an abrupt stop. It was now or never. I chose now.

“I’m sorry, Dad,” I spoke as I turned to him and placed my hand on his cheek.

“Anna?”

I turned around, kicked off my heels, and ran up the aisle, throwing my wedding bouquet behind me with a smile on my face. I heard both my father and Matthew shouting my name, but I ignored them and kept running. I ran up the steps, into the hotel, through the lobby, and out the front door, climbing into the black limo that was parked along the curb.

“So you did it.” Terrance, my driver smiled.

“I did it. Thanks for waiting for me.”

“Not a problem, Anna. Airport?”

“Yes.” I smiled.

Freedom and exhilarationsoared through me as the plane took off from LAX. I was on a high. Something I always got when I was defiant. I was a strong-willed, independent woman, and when someone told me to do something, I always did the opposite. I’m not going to lie. Matthew wasn’t the love of my life. Why did I accept his marriage proposal? Because it was what my father wanted. I thought for once I’d grown up and could make him proud. He brought Matthew into the company to groom him and to run it with me one day. That was how we met.

He was practically shoved down my throat every single day, and he was persistent about taking me out. So I finally gave in and went on a date with him. He was good-looking, and the rest is history. He grew on me, but I wasn’t happy at all. I just went with the flow, worked, and planned my wedding. The way he kissed my father’s ass was annoying. In fact, everything he did was annoying. Even the sex with him was annoying. I faked more orgasms than I had real ones. I gave myself better orgasms than what he could give me.

The plane touched down in Paris, and as soon as I turned on my phone, there were numerous text messages and missed calls from my father, with the exception of one text message from Franco.

“I knew you’d do it. Call me when you get to Paris, regardless of the time.”

I took a cab to the Peninsula, where reservations were made for Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Bondi. Yep. I did it. I took our honeymoon anyway. I loved Paris, and I needed the escape.

“Bonjour.” The man behind the desk smiled.

“Bonjour. Reservations for Bondi,” I spoke.

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