I Dropped The Bidder To Keep My Empire Chapter 07
The two days before the wedding, all hell broke loose in Harbor Heights.
The real Vance heiress had dumped Derek Channing and married his biggest rival.
The news was tabloid gold.
The decorations at Vance Manor were still up. They’d just swapped the red for a richer, more regal gold.
During those two days, Derek blew up my phone. I didn’t pick up once.
Lucas came by once. He knelt outside my house for three hours, begging me to forgive him for twisting my arm.
I had security chase him off.
He said he didn’t know my shoulder would really dislocate.
Excuses like that sounded pathetic.
Landon sent me a whole wall of texts, taking a trip down memory lane to our childhood at the orphanage.
He said he remembered every apple I’d ever given him.
I sent back one sentence: “Those apples? Consider them feeding an ungrateful snake. Don’t bother paying me back.”
On the wedding day, I put on the couture gown Beckett had sent.
The sling was off my left arm, but I still couldn’t put weight on my shoulder.
Ashley was a bridesmaid. Her face looked ashen. That stolen tiara on her head stuck out like a sore thumb.
She tried to show off in the dressing room, but Beckett’s security guards stopped her at the door.
Derek came as a guest.
He sat in the front row, looking like hell.
When Beckett took my hand and walked me down the red carpet, I heard the sound of Derek’s wine glass shattering.
The glass cut his hand. Blood dripped between his fingers.
But he didn’t seem to feel it. His eyes stayed locked on my face.
When the pastor started reading the vows, Derek shot up from his seat.
“I won’t allow this!”
His voice echoed through the church. Everyone turned to look at him.
Derek stormed to the altar, his eyes wild. “Sierra, you win. I give up. If you come with me right now, I’ll kick Ashley out of Harbor Heights tonight. I’ll give you half of the Channing Group’s shares!”
The whole room erupted.
I looked at him. All I felt was how ridiculous this was.
“Derek, you really think I want your shares now?”
“Sierra, I love you! I just didn’t see it before—”
“Your love cost me an arm and a leg—literally.” I cut him off. I turned to Beckett. “Can we continue?”
Beckett smiled. He lowered his head and kissed my forehead.
“Of course.”
Derek tried to lunge at us. Beckett’s security guards shoved him to the floor.
There was a kind of despair in his voice that I’d never heard before.
Landon, Lucas, and Grant stood in the crowd, watching Derek pinned down. Their faces were full of defeat and regret.
They finally realized.
The Sierra who always looked back for them had died that night at the auction.