Page 3 of Bestie's Bossy Billionaire Brother
I huff. I can’t believe this. “You expect me to marry you after this? I can’t marry you.”
“Catherine, please don’t do this,” Jason begs.
“Don’t do this?Youdid this. And on our wedding day! Do you know how embarrassing this is? Cancel the damn wedding! Do whatever you want. Since you screwed up, you can make that announcement to all our family and friends.” Tears stream down my face as I turn away from him and run out of the room.
“Catherine,” Jason says, attempting to catch my wrist as he follows behind me, but I’m too fast for him. I can only think about getting away from him before I break down completely.
I hear Andrea from behind me, stopping Jason in his tracks.
I take a deep breath before entering the main room of the Sanders Estate, a historic mansion slightly outside of Seattle. Erica got us the estate for our wedding using her brother Oliver’s connections. Apparently, it isn’t an easy venue to book. But right now, all I can think about is how confusing the layout is. Where the hell is the exit?
As I make my way into one of the many hallways on the first floor, Oliver, Erica's brother, steps in front of me. He takes one look at me and furrows his brows.
“Catherine? Is everything okay? Getting cold feet?” he asks, his tall frame blocking me from going deeper down the hallway.
As Oliver’s concerned face blurs in front of me, a wave of humiliation washes over me so fiercely I can barely stand it. Inside the main hall are guests, friends, and family, all dressed up, and here for me. They’re waiting, clueless, expecting a celebration, and here I am, scrambling for an escape route in my own wedding venue.
My parents, I think fleetingly. They’re probably seated, beaming with pride, unaware of the chaos brewing out here.They’ll understand.
“Not now, Oliver,” I breathe out, panic clawing at my chest.
I attempt to shove the embarrassment deep down into a dark corner of my mind. I need to focus on getting out, away, anywhere but here. The walls of the estate, praised for their history, now seem to mock me with my impending life sentence.
It’s not cold feet. It’s clarity. I realize that as I look into Oliver’s deep blue eyes, begging him to let me go silently.
“I’m sorry,” he replies, his tone suddenly serious. “I was kidding. Seriously, is everything okay?”
I shake my head. “No, Oliver. Everything is not okay. I need to get as far away from here as possible,” I say, my voice trembling.
“Catherine!” Jason calls out, and I whip my head around to make sure I’m not in his line of vision.
Oliver takes my hand without hesitation. “Come on.”
He pulls me along with him, leading me down the hallways of the mansion and taking us into a nearby room, narrowly dodging Jason as he catches up to us.
Chapter 2
Oliver
AttendingCatherine’sweddingisthe last thing I want to do right now, yet here I am, aiding in her escape. Jason’s booming voice echoes through the halls, calling out Catherine’s name as I frantically search for a hideout. I open door after door, hoping for an empty room that could serve as an escape route. Just as I’m about to give up, I spot a door with a sliver of light peeking through its cracks. Turning the handle, I find the room unoccupied.
“In here,” I instruct, signaling for Catherine to head inside first.
She slips into the room just as Jason appears at the end of the hall. Our eyes meet briefly before I step inside and lock the door.
My heart pounds in my ears as Jason bangs on the door, demanding entrance. Catherine steps back, her eyes wide with fear. I brace myself, ready for whatever might come through the door if Jason manages to break it down.
“Oliver? Have you seen Catherine? Is she in there with you?” Jason calls out.
“No,” I reply, “This is my room. Why are you looking for Catherine? Shouldn’t she be getting ready for the wedding?”
Catherine rolls her eyes at my words.
“Right,” Jason mumbles, sounding defeated. “I’ll go check her dressing room again.”
His footsteps fade down the hallway, his voice growing distant as he continues to call out for Catherine. I sigh, finally able to normalize my breathing. “What the hell is going on?” I ask.
Catherine looks at me, her green eyes red and puffy.
