I look at him like he’s a roach.]


    “Well I mind. Because the Matthews family isn’t in the Sterling family’s league.”


    Ethan’s stunned, then actuallyughs: []


    “Look, I know there’s a massive ss gap between us, but I don’t care that you’re broke.[]


    I’ll totally take care of your parents financially after we get married. They won’t have to bust their asses anymore, right?“]


    “You don’t want your folks working minimum wage jobs their whole lives, do you? They’ve struggled enough.“[]


    Dn side–eyes me: “You told him your dad works blue cor? Does your father know his street cred out here?”


    I throw my hands up.


    “I literally never said that. This dude just assumed my family was trailer park poor with parents working dead–end jobs barely scraping by.”


    My friend cracks up, patting Ethan like he’s a lost puppy:[]


    “Bro, meet Sloane Sterling–Sterling Corp princess and future CEO.“]


    “Her man Dn Montgomery runs Montgomery Industries.[]


    Here’s the deal–either of their families could hostile takeover your littlepany and Matthews Corp would be wiped off the map by market close tomorrow. Feel–me?“]


    Ethan stares at me in shock: “Sterling Corp heiress? Sloane?“]


    Then he gets all wounded: “If you’re Sterling royalty, why’d you catfish me?[


    で


    Why y broke and mess with my head? If I knew you were loaded, this whole thing would’ve been smooth sailing! My parents would’ve rolled out the red carpet.“]]


    I’m cracking up: “They wouldn’t love ME, genius. They’d love the Sterling bank ount<b>, </b>or any other trust fund baby with the rightst name.”


    Ethan’s spiraling: “Who cares?! They want old money, you ARE old money! Why the fake identity?“]


    I get dead serious: “Ethan, remember when you said you loved me for me? No matter what my background was? Thatsted what, two seconds?”


    “You thought I was some basic middle ss girl so you treated me like garbage.[]


    Even your bestie’s motion sickness was more important than our actual wedding. You prioritized her and told me to bike over.“[]


    Ethan’s scrambling: “I swear that’s not what happened! Aria brought it up and I wasn’t thinking! I never meant to diss our wedding like that.“}


    BY A Badea how? BODY TOVE ISTA SUIT


    He tries to grab me. “Let’s just go


    inside and


    do


    this. I’ll show you how much you mean to <ol><li>me. </li></ol>


    “I


    Dn blocks his hand. “Am <b>I </b>a ghost? Keep your hands off my wife, bro.“]


    Aria rushes over to grab Ethan:[]


    “Don’t listen to her BS, Ethan! She probably met these trust fund bros at some sketchy club while bartending. Now she’s got them putting on this whole charade for her.“]


    “Just ‘cause she ims she’s Sterling royalty doesn’t make it true. Mr. Sterling’s never publicly mentioned having a daughter–she’s exploiting that loophole to scam you. Don’t fall for it.“<b>[</b><b>] </b>


    Ethan eyes me suspiciously.[]


    “Is Aria right? Are you catfishing as the Sterling heiress for clout? You better tell the truth now or I can’t help you when this blows up.”


    “You think everyone’s as shameless as Aria? Pretending to be old money when you’re not?“]


    I whip around to face Aria.]]


    “Aria Williams–you’re your daddy’s bastard kid<b>, </b>right? How’s it feeling back from London after getting your ass beat by some married man’s wife?]


    ying innocent now after being a whole sugar baby abroad?”


    “I don’t just know about your mess–I’ve got photos.


    Should I overnight some 4K prints to daddy dearest? Wonder if he’ll still im his illegitimate daughter after that.”


    I step closer: “What’s wrong? A few days of ying virgin Mary and you actually bought your own act? Perfect match for Ethan though. Y’all deserve each other.“]


    Aria’s face goes chalk white.[]


    She backs away like she’s seen a ghost, stammering: “<b>I </b>don’t know what you’re talking about.“[]


    I loop my arm through Dn’s. “City Hall closes soon. Let’s <b>go </b>make this official.“[]


    Dn grins and makes a call. His driver pulls up, followed by a convoy of cars my crew called.[]


    We roll out in style!


    in the car, I clean myself up belund the privacy partition and change into fresh clothes.]


    At City Hall, fifteen minutester, we walk out with matchung marriage certificates.[]


    By the time my friends‘ cars catch up. I’m officially Mrs Montgomery.[]


    The Montgomery Sterling merger is front page news across the city. Our parents are thrilled, and the business world’s going


    crazy.


    After the wedding, I officially take over Sterling Corp with Dad mentoring me throug


    the transition.[]


    Dn and I are so swamped with work we can’t even n a honeymoon. We’re both running on fumes and coffee.


    But I never expected that one day Ethan’s been camping outside Sterling Corp, waiting to ambush me.[]


    f