“If You Can’t Bear My Mistress, We Can Swap Newtons”- So I Married His Worst Rival At the Wedding Chapter 01

“If You Can’t Bear My Mistress, We Can Swap Newtons”- So I Married His Worst Rival At the Wedding Chapter 01

The day before the wedding, a group of us were playing Truth or Dare.

First round, my fiancé Preston Hale lost. His dare was to kiss a bridesmaid.

He looked around the room. Then he picked my best friend Tessa Vane. “Come on, you two are basically sisters. Kissing her is like kissing you.”

Everyone started shouting and cheering. But she flinched and pushed him away.

“No, I have a boyfriend—”

Before she could finish, Preston Hale grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her. Hard. Intense.

“Boyfriend? Since when do you have anyone but me?”

“If you’ve got a problem with me marrying her, fine, I won’t. So why are you trying to pick a fight?”

The room went dead silent. Then came the whistles and murmurs. So many pitying looks shot my way.

Preston turned to me.

“Don’t twist this. I’ve known Tessa way longer than you. She’s not some side piece.”

“She’s been quietly putting up with this whole arranged situation for our sake. You should be thanking her.”

“If you can’t handle that, then we can just call the whole thing off.”

I was so mad I laughed.

He was right. This was an arranged marriage. Which meant I got to decide who the groom was.

***

The lounge went quiet for a second, then exploded with noise.

“Damn, Preston, you’ve been keeping this quiet? No wonder you were jumping to take every drink for Tessa every time she lost a dare.”

“For the past two years, Sloane’s had a rule—nobody lets you near alcohol. We were too scared to even invite you to business dinners.”

“That’s hilarious. Sloane Ashford fought like hell to keep her dad’s mistress out of the house, and she turns out to be a cheap little homewrecker herself?”

Preston raised an eyebrow.

Didn’t deny it. Didn’t confirm.

I looked at the row of empty glasses in front of me.

Tessa had lost six rounds. I’d lost twelve.

Preston had wrecked his stomach from drinking years ago. I spent three years getting his diet right and put a total ban on alcohol. He was afraid of pissing me off, so for the most part, he listened.

Twelve drinks? Not a big deal. I never asked him to take mine. But he took hers.

I thought he was just looking out for her. Turns out he was just playing white knight for his side piece.

Tessa shot me a guilty look and quickly waved her hands.

“Sloane’s a good person. Don’t talk about her that way.”

“Besides, she’s an Ashford heiress. How am I supposed to compete? I’ll be happy just getting to see Preston whenever I can.”

Her eyes were red. She bit her lower lip. All patient and suffering.

Like I’d used my family name to steal her boyfriend, and now she had to back down because she was scared of retaliation.

Sure enough, everyone turned to glare at me.

“Some people walk around like they’re so high and mighty, but behind closed doors they’re just as dirty.”

“I’ve always said Sloane’s a control freak. She even polices her man’s drinking. Who’d want that? Preston only went along with this marriage ‘cause he didn’t have a choice. Now the whole game’s changed.”

“Exactly. Preston just landed the Southside development rights yesterday. That’s a massive payday. Now the Ashfords are gonna have to play nice with the Hales.”

My head snapped up. My eyes were sharp.

“What did you say?”

The bidding wasn’t supposed to be until the day after tomorrow.

Someone snorted.

“The bidding ended yesterday. Preston gave you the wrong date on purpose. What, did you think he’d let you compete against him?”

“And your proposal didn’t go to waste. Tessa handed it right over to him. Now that’s what I call a power couple.”

My eyes went wide.

My dad had promised me—if I won this project, he wouldn’t bring his mistress and her kid into the house.