Chapter 11
Alaric froze, then exhaled with relief.
Of course.
He knew it. Stella was obsessed with him–how could she possibly miss their wedding?
Just another one of her games to get his attention!
The thought irritated him. He prepared to scold her for being so childish and causing such stress.
But when he looked up at the newcomer, he was stunned.
“Jenna? What are you-”
His eyes fell on what she was wearing, and his confusion deepened.
“Why are you in a wedding dress?”
The “bride” who had entered with the coordinator wasn’t Stella at all.
It was Jenna.
She stood there in the wedding dress she had designed, blushing at Alaric’s question and lowering
her head with practiced meekness.
“Uncle Al, I heard Stella hasn’t shown up. With all these important guests… if there’s no bride, the Gilbert family will be a complete laughingstock throughout New York…”
“So I put on the wedding dress. I thought, if Stella’s abandoned you, I could step in. I could be your
bride instead!”
She looked up suddenly, her eyes gleaming with what appeared to be courage and devotion.
Alaric was speechless, but Camilla didn’t hesitate–she stepped forward and slapped Jenna hard
across the face.
“You manipulative little bitch! You think you can just slide into our family like this? Not in a million
05:11
A Heart Once Broken, A Life Reclaimed
Chapter 11
years!”
Alaric snapped out of his shock and pulled Jenna behind him protectively, glaring at his mother.
“Mom! What the helll”
Camilla laughed bitterly.
“Drop the act, Alaric. You claim she’s your ward, but anyone with half a brain can see what’s really going on between you two.”
“Tell me the truth–is this little homewrecker why Stella wanted out?”
Alaric’s pupils constricted, but before he could respond, Jenna burst into tears.
“Mrs. Gilbert, blame me if you must! I’m the one who fell for him. I’m the one who couldn’t control myself. I practically threw myself at him.”
“It’s all my fault, not his at all!”
Camilla nearly fainted.
“You’ve actually been sleeping together? I’ll kill both of you disgraceful-”
She lunged toward them, but Steven cut her off with a thunderous:
“ENOUGH!”
Camilla stopped in her tracks as Steven studied Jenna carefully, considering the situation before finally speaking.
“At this point, our only option is to let Jenna marry into the family.”
Jenna’s eyes lit up instantly, while Camilla shrieked.
“Have you completely lost your mind?!”
“Got a better idea?” Steven snapped. “Every power player in New York is sitting out there! If there’s no bride, we’re finished socially!”
“They’ll gossip about a bride swap for a few weeks, but having no bride at all would destroy our
05:12
A Heart Once Hooken. A Life Reclaimed
Chapter 11
reputation! At this point, if not Jenna, who else?”
Steven turned to his son.
“Alaric, what’s your call?”
Jenna looked at Alaric with naked hope.
But Alaric hesitated, his mind racing.
“But…” he began, “Jenna is technically my adopted-”
“That’s bullshit,” Steven dismissed impatiently.
“You have no blood relation, and you never filed the legal paperwork. You’ve just been her guardian for a few years. Yes, people will talk, but that’s better than becoming a complete joke!”
Alaric stood frozen, torn.
Meanwhile, the ceremony time had arrived. From outside came the sound of the officiant’s voice. and the guests‘ applause.
Jenna clutched Alaric’s arm desperately.
“Uncle Al, what are you waiting for? Just say yes!”
Jenna could barely contain her excitement.
When Alaric had taken her in at age ten, she had initially viewed him as a respected guardian.
But as she entered adolescence, she had fallen hopelessly in love with him.
She loved not only his handsome features but also the Gilbert fortune.
She had sensed Alaric’s feelings for her too, knowing he suppressed them only because of his
position and engagement to Stella.
Today, those chains could finally be broken. This was her perfect chance to openly marry Alaric.
How could she let it slip away?
Chapter 11
With these thoughts, she gazed at him expectantly, waiting for his agreement.
But to her surprise, Alaric suddenly raised his head.
“Dad, I can’t marry Jenna.’
Chapter 12
Chapter 12
The color drained from Jenna’s face Instantly.
Steven was stunned. “Why not? Haven’t you always had feelings for her?”
Alaric didn’t look at Jemma, speaking instead with calculated calm.
“Dad, replacing the bride with Jenna might solve today’s Immediate problem, but what about the aftermath?”
“Our family has countless joint ventures with the Forbes estate. Even though Stella has managers handling the day–to–day, she holds all the decision–making power.”
“She may have skipped the wedding today, but Dad, do you honestly think she’d be happy if I married Jenna instead? If she’s just having cold feet and discovers I’ve replaced her, what then?”
business det
“What if she pulls out of every with the Gilbert name in retallation?”
“Beyond that, a last–minute bride swap would make everyone question our family’s integrity. It would damage our business reputation for years.”
Alaric laid out the pros and cons with cold logic. Steven was convinced.
“You make good points, but today’s ceremony…
“That’s easy to handle,” Alaric interrupted. “The Forbes mansion just burned down yesterday. We simply announce that Stella’s injuries unexpectedly worsened, forcing us to postpone. We can hold another ceremony in a month.”
Camilla’s eyes lit up at this suggestion.
“Yes, yes! Trust me, I’ve known Stella since she was a child. She would never truly walk away from
Alaric!”
Steven was fully persuaded now.
“Fine. We’ll go with your plan.”
Steven and Camilla quickly left to explain to the guests,
Only then did Alarie turn his attention to Jeni.
seeing her reddened eyes, he fell a pang of guilt. “Jenna…” he said softly.
Jenna looked up sharply.
“Uncle Al. is it really just business between the Forbes and Gilbert families? Is that the only reason you’re marrying Stella7”
Alaric’s eye twitched. “Of course. What else would it be?”
Jenna spoke quietly. “I thought… maybe you’d actually fallen in love with her…”
“That’s ridiculous!”
The words escaped Alaric before he could stop them.
Jenna forced a weak smile. “Good to know.”
Alaric’s hands unconsciously clenched into fists.
Yes.
That
s how it w
He was marrying Stella solely for business and to keep his family’s promise.
That was all it was… truly…
After canceling the wedding, Alaric immediately went searching for Stella.
He checked several Forbes properties without finding her, eventually arriving at MIT where she worked.
Unlike other wealthy heiresses who studied business management or luxury fashion, Stella had devoted herself to aerospace engineering.
A Heart Doce Broken. A Life Reclaimed
Chapter 12
After completing her undergraduate degree, she went straight into a graduate program, then stayed
a
on as a research scientist after graduation.
Alaric had always looked down on Stella’s career choice.
The salary was too low, and it contributed nothing to either family’s business interests.
He had already planned that after they were married, he would make her quit this job.
Arriving at the university, he found Professor Lockwoo
Chapter 11
Alaric froze, then exhaled with relief.
Of course.
He knew it. Stella was obsessed with him–how could she possibly miss their wedding?
Just another one of her games to get his attention!
The thought irritated him. He prepared to scold her for being so childish and causing such stress.
But when he looked up at the newcomer, he was stunned.
“Jenna? What are you-”
His eyes fell on what she was wearing, and his confusion deepened.
“Why are you in a wedding dress?”
The “bride” who had entered with the coordinator wasn’t Stella at all.
It was Jenna.
She stood there in the wedding dress she had designed, blushing at Alaric’s question and lowering
her head with practiced meekness.
“Uncle Al, I heard Stella hasn’t shown up. With all these important guests… if there’s no bride, the Gilbert family will be a complete laughingstock throughout New York…”
“So I put on the wedding dress. I thought, if Stella’s abandoned you, I could step in. I could be your
bride instead!”
She looked up suddenly, her eyes gleaming with what appeared to be courage and devotion.
Alaric was speechless, but Camilla didn’t hesitate–she stepped forward and slapped Jenna hard
across the face.
“You manipulative little bitch! You think you can just slide into our family like this? Not in a million
05:11
A Heart Once Broken, A Life Reclaimed
Chapter 11
years!”
Alaric snapped out of his shock and pulled Jenna behind him protectively, glaring at his mother.
“Mom! What the helll”
Camilla laughed bitterly.
“Drop the act, Alaric. You claim she’s your ward, but anyone with half a brain can see what’s really going on between you two.”
“Tell me the truth–is this little homewrecker why Stella wanted out?”
Alaric’s pupils constricted, but before he could respond, Jenna burst into tears.
“Mrs. Gilbert, blame me if you must! I’m the one who fell for him. I’m the one who couldn’t control myself. I practically threw myself at him.”
“It’s all my fault, not his at all!”
Camilla nearly fainted.
“You’ve actually been sleeping together? I’ll kill both of you disgraceful-”
She lunged toward them, but Steven cut her off with a thunderous:
“ENOUGH!”
Camilla stopped in her tracks as Steven studied Jenna carefully, considering the situation before finally speaking.
“At this point, our only option is to let Jenna marry into the family.”
Jenna’s eyes lit up instantly, while Camilla shrieked.
“Have you completely lost your mind?!”
“Got a better idea?” Steven snapped. “Every power player in New York is sitting out there! If there’s no bride, we’re finished socially!”
“They’ll gossip about a bride swap for a few weeks, but having no bride at all would destroy our
05:12
A Heart Once Hooken. A Life Reclaimed
Chapter 11
reputation! At this point, if not Jenna, who else?”
Steven turned to his son.
“Alaric, what’s your call?”
Jenna looked at Alaric with naked hope.
But Alaric hesitated, his mind racing.
“But…” he began, “Jenna is technically my adopted-”
“That’s bullshit,” Steven dismissed impatiently.
“You have no blood relation, and you never filed the legal paperwork. You’ve just been her guardian for a few years. Yes, people will talk, but that’s better than becoming a complete joke!”
Alaric stood frozen, torn.
Meanwhile, the ceremony time had arrived. From outside came the sound of the officiant’s voice. and the guests‘ applause.
Jenna clutched Alaric’s arm desperately.
“Uncle Al, what are you waiting for? Just say yes!”
Jenna could barely contain her excitement.
When Alaric had taken her in at age ten, she had initially viewed him as a respected guardian.
But as she entered adolescence, she had fallen hopelessly in love with him.
She loved not only his handsome features but also the Gilbert fortune.
She had sensed Alaric’s feelings for her too, knowing he suppressed them only because of his
position and engagement to Stella.
Today, those chains could finally be broken. This was her perfect chance to openly marry Alaric.
How could she let it slip away?
Chapter 11
With these thoughts, she gazed at him expectantly, waiting for his agreement.
But to her surprise, Alaric suddenly raised his head.
“Dad, I can’t marry Jenna.’
