Love at First Night: The Billionaire's First Love-Chapter 18: STOP THE WEDDING!

>Mallory

I was pacing across the room like an anxious cat, biting my fingernails raw while my heart thudded against my ribs as if trying to escape.

Anxiety crawled like smoke through every corner of my mind. I came to this country and took the job without a concrete plan, and now my bare feet clicked across the marbled floor, the sound sharp and frantic. Mara followed me with her gaze from the sofa, where she lounged cross-legged as if she were watching a mildly entertaining movie instead of my impending emotional collapse.

This morning—during breakfast, of all times—she had dropped a casual bomb the way some people commented on weather.

"Oh, I don’t think simply crashing the wedding would work," she had said while sipping her coffee. "They’ll arrest you and go on with their day. I’ll gladly bail you out of prison though."

I’d nearly choked on my toast.

Now I stopped pacing and glared at her, hands on my hips. "You realize you’re too late in informing me, right?"

She raised her arms in exaggerated surrender. She knew exactly what she’d done wrong—and she did it anyway.

Tomorrow was the wedding. Tomorrow. For fuck’s sake.

"Anyway," I exhaled sharply, "how do I enter the wedding hall? There must be a way. I don’t think they’ll just let me in without invitation knowing your family stature?"

"Oh, don’t worry about that!" Mara beamed, patting my knee with cheer that should honestly be illegal right now. "I already talked to the security."

I flopped onto the sofa beside her, utterly drained. She looked far too proud of herself for someone offering absolutely no useful solution.

"You have an idea?" I asked hopefully.

"No idea."

I stared at her. "You’re so useless."

She shrugged, absolutely unbothered.

A knock echoed through the room.

We both turned. I’d told one of the attendants to inform me when Asher woke up. It had to be them.

"What is it?" Mara called.

The knob turned—and my brows knitted in confusion when Kaizer stepped in, Asher on his arm.

Asher’s tiny face was streaked with tears, blotchy and miserable. My chest tightened immediately.

I rushed toward them, holding my arms out. "Baby, come here—"

But Asher twisted away from me and buried his face deeper into Kaizer’s neck. My poor little boy pressed into him like he’d found safe harbor in the storm.

"Come here, baby," I tried again, softer. But he only tightened his grip around Kaizer.

Kaizer chuckled, low and warm, his Adam’s apple bobbing. He looked between the two of us, something tender flickering in his eyes. "I think he’s sulking because he woke up without you. I saw him crying on the hallway, he look lost."

Guilt stabbed me. "I’m sorry to bother you," I said quickly. "I told the attendants to inform me when he woke up—they must not have noticed."

Kaizer shook his head. "He came out of the room looking for you. I tried to bribe him with cookies to stop crying." He smirked. "Didn’t work."

"Of course it didn’t," Mara muttered. "He has taste."

I stepped closer again. "Come on, baby..."

This time Asher lifted his head just enough to peek at me, his lip trembling. I softened my expression, opening my arms wider.

"Mommy’s here. I’m sorry."

He hesitated.

I added the oldest, dirtiest trick in the parenting book. "I’ll get you ice cream as an apology okay? Mommy won’t do it again."

Instant reaction: his head snapped fully toward me. Then—he nodded hesitantly.

Mara’s eyebrows shot up. "Well, damn. He doesn’t warm up to strangers that fast." She motioned toward Kaizer. "And you—he clings to you like you’re a teddy bear."

Kaizer shrugged casually, though his eyes glinted with something unspoken. "Maybe kids like me."

Asher allowed me to scoop him into my arms at last, nuzzling into my shoulder with a sniff. I rubbed his back, heart melting. "I’m sorry, baby."

Kaizer watched us with a soft, unreadable smile forming on his lips.

Then Mara asked the question she’d been holding. "So... why are you here anyway? Shouldn’t you be at the airport or something?"

Kaizer looked mildly surprised. "I forgot something. My flight’s this evening."

"Oh." Mara blinked, then changed gears faster than a sports car. "Since you’re here—quick question. What’s your opinion on the best way to stop a wedding?"

Kaizer paused. "Whose wedding?"

Mara and I exchanged looks. I opened my mouth—then closed it. No coherent words formed.

But then Kaizer’s eyes dropped to Asher, then to me, then back to my son. His brows lifted slightly. "Is it... this child’s father?"

"Just answer the question." Mara hissed.

He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossing. "Isn’t it simple, then? Just tell them he’s the father of your son."

My stomach flipped, twisted, burned. If only it were that simple. I don’t want my son to be caught up in this if I can help it.

But of course—nothing about this situation was simple. Why else would that man pay a million dollar to stop the wedding? Anyone can crash a wedding.

Mara nodded sagely, as if she were a sage guru instead of an agent of chaos. "See? Even he thinks that’s the obvious answer."

I rolled my eyes. "You said crashing doesn’t work! And that wasn’t your idea to begin with."

"I was about to tell you that I already knew you could use a dramatic reveal prop," she said, pointing directly at Asher.

"He’s my son," I snapped.

"Yes," she agreed, "and he’s also the equivalent of dropping a nuke in the middle of that wedding. I know it was effective. I just know it. I know someone who would be very happy." she even nodded her head as if thinking something.

I sighed, rubbing my temples. Then something in Kaizer’s expression softened into something bordering on protective.

"I have a bad feeling about this," he said quietly, "I think he’s trying to snatch my wife-to-be away from me." 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

He whispered in my ear, his breath warm I got goosebumps.

"What–" I almost physically recoild at his words. Wife-to- be my ass!

Mara clapped her hands. "That’s enough! I don’t need you here! Leave! leave!" she pushed Kaizer out the door, confused. The closed with a soft thud and we were met with awkward silence and Mara’s creepy stares.

"Don’t worry I’ll make sure no one could recognize him?" she scoffed. "Please. He was my son, I wouldn’t unnecessarily put him in danger."

---

The next day, Asher was so dressed up he was practically unrecognizable. Tiny black hoody, tiny sunglasses, tiny polished shoes—he looked like a miniature fashionista with half of his face covered. His hair were brushed down, and oversized, noise-canceling headphones covered half his head.

"Why headphones?" Mara asked as we stood outside the car she let me use.

"In case the noise overwhelmed him," I explained. "I don’t want to put him in any danger."

We had to use different cars because she had to come earlier since she’s one of her cousins family. But it only took us half an hour to arrive at the venue.

I opened my door dramatically. "Alright. Showtime." I whispered trying to cheer myself up. I’ll be getting that million dollar soon.

I took a deep breath. Another. Another.

My palms were sweating. My stomach was flipping. My heartbeat was a frantic drum.

I stepped out of the car with Asher on my hip, his headphones humming softly. I quickly adjusted my dress—simple but elegant enough for a guest who belonged to a fancy wedding.

My phone rang and I answered it without thinking, at the other side Mara’s voice rang.

"Ready?"

"No."

"Perfect," she replied. "People make the best dumb choices when they’re not ready."

Inside, the hallway leading toward the wedding hall was bright, loud, bustling with decorations I cannot even begin to fathom. The security stretched their arm to stop me and I showed them the card Mara gave me and they looked at each other and nodded.

I kept moving.

Every step felt heavier. Asher shifted in my arms, his little hands curling into my dress. I kissed his forehead.

"You’re okay," I murmured. "You’re with me."

He nodded silently, as if sensing the tension vibrating off me.

We approached the massive double doors of the hall. A sound system echoed inside—a speech, vows, a soft melodic swell of music. And then...

"...speak now or forever hold your peace."

My heart lurched so violently I almost lost my breath.

This was it.

This was the moment.

My legs moved before my brain caught up. I shoved the door with my shoulder, the heavy wood creaking open with a dramatic groan. Heads turned immediately—dozens, hundreds. Every pair of eyes in the room snapped toward me. I froze and before I could process anything.

I stepped inside with Asher in my arms, adrenaline roaring inside, my blood pounding.

I lifted my chin and yelled at the top of my lungs—

"STOP THE WEDDING! THAT MAN IS THE FATHER OF MY SON!"