Chapter 53
CHAPTER 53
In front of eight hundred people, we stood at the front of that massive church, to come together as man and wife. Porter listened to the minister’s message with serious intent. I didn’t hear a word the man said. I was too busy trying to wrap my mind around the fact that Porter wanted to marry me.
Not out of obligation.
Not because he felt trapped.
The man said it himself.
He felt things for me he never felt before.
Porter was becoming my husband. And I was becoming his wife.
I still had a lot of questions. But they were good questions, and I wanted to savor his answers. Like what moment had he realized that he loved me? When exactly did he know he wanted to marry me? But all that could wait. His family. His history, all of that, would eventually be shared.
What I did know was that I loved him. With all my heart.
I let out a happy sigh, when the minister said, “Time for your vows.”
A considerable bang sounded at the back of the church .
“This wedding can’t happen!” Yates stalked up the aisle.
What the living hell?
Porter turned with a growl, his entire body stiffening. Too stunned to do much else, I watched Yates’ approach.
“What might your reason be?” the minister’s voice called out.
Yates cleared his throat. “I know this isn’t a real marriage. This whole thing is a fraudulent plot to promote Mr. Stirling’s political campaign.”
The entire church gasped. My eyes swept over the blurry faces of the congregation. My body tipped against Porter’s hard frame. I put my hand on his arm. He hadn’t moved a muscle. I glanced at him. His jaw was so tight, his neck corded.
Yates continued, “I have evidence that proves Beth’s father paid Porter to be part of her life, to marry her for his campaign. This wedding is a sham.”
It kind of felt like I was under water. Without oxygen. Struggling to breathe. My eyes flew to my father. His expression was a mask of guilt. Roo sat collapsed on the pew with Mom bent over him.
I glanced up. Grey eyes held mine. I couldn’t read his expression.
“Tell me this isn’t true, Porter,” I whispered.
Why was there so much regret in his eyes?
“I can’t.”
I swallowed, and my ribs expanded and contracted as each shallow breath rushed through my body. “This was your secret? My father paid you?”
“At first. But then things changed.”
I took a few steps away from him in complete disbelief. This was not happening to me. Not to me. My mind tried to process what was going on. “My father paid you? To love me?”
“Beth…” Pain painted his features. “It’s complicated.”
I couldn’t even process this. “So this is a big joke? I’ve been set up by another one of my father’s elaborate plans?”
“No. I really love you.”
I wasn’t a violent person, but suddenly I was hitting Porter with my bouquet. Pink and white flowers exploded between us. He didn’t even move. He took every single blow.
I realized I was crying. Hard. Everything ran. Tears. Snot. Make-up. I couldn’t catch my breath. As far as ugly cries went, this one was epic. My bouquet was now nothing but stems and a ribbon. I tossed it aside. Emily put her arms around me.
I glared at him and managed to say, “I trusted you.”
He swallowed. “I’m sorry.”
I shook my head, and then I was running down the aisle.