My Stand-In Groom Is A Secret Tycoon (Audrey)

After processing the surprising news about Alistair's marriage, Logan pulled him in for a warm side hug. He arched an eyebrow and grinned, "So, am I the first to hear about this?" "Yeah," Alistair replied, shoving Logan away playfully.

Not bothered at all, Logan beamed, "Awesome! This calls for a celebration. Cheers!"

He raised his glass, clinked it with Alistair's, took a swig, and then declared, "Nope, this wine won't cut it. You have finally tied the knot before hitting thirty. We need something special for the occasion."

With that, he turned and headed for the wine cellar, diving into his dad's century-old collection. He didn't even flinch at the thought of his father possibly disowning him over it.

*****

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the cool moonlight streamed in, casting a glow over the wine bottles scattered on the floor. Audrey lay sprawled on the sofa, arms dangling, still clutching a half-empty, rose-red bottle.

Her usually bright face was streaked with tears from all the drinks she barely remembered consuming, though she definitely recalled receiving a call from Emily and getting completely overwhelmed.

It hit her hard that Albert never really liked her. It all tied back to that messy little situation starting on what seemed like a perfectly normal weekend.

Audrey had just learned to whip up some desserts and thought it would be a nice surprise to send some to Albert as he worked late at the office. But when she got there, she stumbled upon a scene she couldn't bear-Albert flirting with a female secretary. That secretary casually mentioned how Albert was supposed to come to their son's birthday party. At just sixteen, Audrey felt her heart drop and bolted home in tears.

But when she got there and saw Fiona, all the words she wanted to spill got stuck in her throat. She had always believed her parents' relationship was perfect, a vision of happiness that turned out to be nothing more than an illusion.

No way her mom could accept ten years of betrayal from her dad, the man she trusted so deeply. After a good cry, something in Audrey shifted.

She decided to keep all this inside, but the fear lingered that one day, Albert's son with the secretary might end up stealing Rhodes Enterprises right from under her nose.

So, after finishing high school, Audrey made the tough choice to ditch her dreams for a major she didn't care about and jumped straight into the family business after graduation.

Rhodes Enterprises started as a small family operation in construction and design and was founded by her grandfather. Under Albert's leadership, it bloomed into hotels, restaurants, and horse farms and even dipped its toes into the entertainment scene. But as Albert aged, his vision started to fail, leading to bad investments and almost putting the company at risk of bankruptcy.

For two years, Audrey poured herself into saving the family business, never daring to take a break. Yet instead of gratitude, Albert just wanted to wrest control from her, and their relationship soured further with each argument.

Now, it felt like even Fiona had been manipulated by Eliza. Looking back at the past twenty years felt like a bad joke.

As frustration washed over her, Audrey found herself reaching for another drink. The more she sipped, the more reckless she became.

When the chauffeur pulled up to the underground garage, it was already past two in the morning. Alistair slumped against the backseat, the faint scent of alcohol lingering on him.noveldrama

Once the car was shut off and the chauffeur left, he found himself alone for a moment longer.

'By now, Audrey should be fast asleep, hopefully resting easy and not worrying too much in my absence.' As this thought crossed his mind, Alistair's expression softened. He grabbed the car keys and climbed out, heading toward home.

But as soon as he opened the door, a strong whiff of alcohol hit him like a freight train. He paused, momentarily bewildered, wondering if he had stepped into the wrong place.

He'd only had a couple of drinks at Logan's place, so this strong smell shouldn't be coming from him. His heart raced as he tried to piece it all together.