An Unexpected Groom

Valerie tuned out the hostile shouts echoing off the banquet hall walls. Wallace and Miranda screamed her name, their furious voices bleeding into the relentless murmurs of the elite guests. She ignored them all. Her eyes remained locked on the tall, handsome stranger standing right in front of her.

"Sir, do you hear me?" Her voice trembled slightly, yet it carried an edge of iron determination. She forced her chin up. "Marry me, and you will have a fortune in three years. It's a bargain."

The man's deep blue eyes studied her face. A low, resonant chuckle vibrated in his chest, breaking his icy demeanor. "You know, guys usually do the proposing," he remarked smoothly.

His voice carried over the immediate silence of the room. A second later, the hall erupted. The high-society guests burst into cruel, mocking laughter, pointing their champagne flutes at Valerie. They figured this striking guest had just rejected the disgraced bride.

Wallace seized the opening. "Valerie Kensington! Have you lost your mind?" His face flushed purple with rage. "Get back here right now and stop embarrassing this family!"

Before Wallace could take another step forward, the stranger's smooth, commanding voice sliced effortlessly through the chaotic noise.

"I'll marry you."

The laughter died instantly. A suffocating silence draped over the banquet hall.

The man held Valerie's gaze. "My name is Alaric Sinclair. I'm twenty-eight years old and single. I work at Vanguard International." He paused, his tone shifting into something formal and grounding. "Ms. Valerie Kensington, will you marry me?"

Hot tears of overwhelming relief spilled from Valerie's eyes. The crushing weight on her chest evaporated. "Thank you! Yes, I will!"

Inwardly, she rejoiced. She had no idea about his background, his actual job, or his past. She did not care who this man was or where he came from. She only cared that he was pulling her out of the suffocating quicksand her family had thrown her into.

A collective gasp ripped through the crowd. The quiet room shattered into a frenzy of terrified whispers.

"Wait, did he say Alaric Sinclair? From Vanguard International?"

"The legendary second son of the Sinclair family? No way!"

"I thought Alaric Sinclair kept a low profile. He never attends these things. Could it be a fake?"

"Look at him. Who would have the guts to impersonate a Sinclair? Besides, the rumors say he's gorgeous. The math adds up."

Valerie blinked away her tears. Gathering her newfound resolve, she squared her shoulders and spun around to face her so-called family on the stage. She raised her voice, making sure it reached every corner of the toxic venue.

"Just to be crystal clear, Donovan and I are done. We are out of each other's lives." She took a quick breath, glancing up at the man beside her. She needed a split-second reminder.

"Alaric," he supplied softly, flashing a faint grin.

"Right, Alaric!" Valerie declared proudly, staring down the Caldwells and Prescotts. "I am marrying Alaric Sinclair."

Wallace stood frozen on the stage. "Hold on," he boomed, his voice wavering with uncertainty. "You are the Alaric Sinclair?"

Alaric gave a calm, authoritative nod. "That's me."

On the stage, Montgomery Prescott's face darkened into a stormy scowl. He glared daggers at Donovan and Roxanne, fuming in silent rage. His reckless son had just made a colossal mistake, throwing away a bride who could instantly attract a Sinclair.

Standing near the edge of the stage, Chloe and Bridget stared at Alaric with wide eyes. Jealousy clawed at their features. How did Valerie, the ruined cast-off, score a man with such striking looks and unfathomable wealth?

Alaric swept a cold glance over the people on the stage. "You all must be Valerie's family. I apologize for taking the liberty to announce our marriage in this manner today. I will pay you a proper visit someday."

He turned back to Valerie, his demeanor softening. He linked his arm through hers. "Let's go. What happens here is none of our business."

They took a step toward the exit.

"Mr. Sinclair, wait!" Chloe shoved her way to the front, her voice shrill. "Don't let Valerie fool you! She's a pathetic nuisance. She spent years trying to curry favor with Donovan just to secure a ring. A woman abandoned by Donovan doesn't deserve someone like you!" Chloe's chest heaved. She wanted to tear Valerie down, hoping to disgust Alaric with Valerie's past.

Bridget stepped up next, her soft voice laced with deep anxiety. "Yes, Mr. Sinclair, please stop! Valerie doesn't have my dad's permission to leave." Bridget shot a desperate look at Wallace. She could not let them walk out together. If they left arm in arm, the engagement was sealed. Such an outstanding man should belong to her.

"Dad, say something!" Bridget pleaded. "You can't let her walk out! Mr. Prescott hasn't even agreed to cancel the wedding yet!"

Wallace caught his beloved daughter's eye and cleared his throat, trying to reclaim his authority. "Valerie! Come back!"

Miranda chimed in, stepping forward to demand compliance. "Valerie, stop throwing a tantrum. Come back up here and let's talk things out with Donovan properly."

Valerie stopped in her tracks. Her hands curled into tight fists, her knuckles turning white. The sheer audacity of her family made her blood boil.

Noticing her distress, Alaric gently patted her arm. The simple reassurance grounded her. He released her arm, turned around, and faced the stage. He delivered a crushing, public blow to the cheating groom.

"Thank you, Mr. Donovan Prescott. Thank you for falling in love with someone else and giving Valerie to me."

The words hit like a physical strike. Donovan flinched, his face draining of color. The crowd buzzed, digesting the massive humiliation of the Prescott heir.

Valerie stared up at Alaric's sharp profile. A wave of romantic awe washed over her. She was overwhelmed by how fiercely and fearlessly this random stranger supported her in front of the city's elite.

Alaric shifted his calm, domineering gaze directly to Wallace. The temperature in the room seemed to drop. "Mr. Caldwell. Do you have a problem with your daughter marrying me?"

His tone remained gentle, but the heavy aura rolling off him made Wallace flinch. The Caldwell patriarch opened his mouth, scrambling to formulate a calculated answer to the powerful CEO.

Before Wallace could utter a single syllable, an anguished, piercing cry shattered the heavy tension in the room.

"Donovan! My stomach hurts!"

Roxanne doubled over. Her hands flew to her belly. She gripped the lapels of Donovan's suit jacket desperately, her face contorted in severe pain.

"Roxanne! What's wrong?" Donovan wrapped his arms around her, panic bleeding into his voice.

Valerie watched them. Her chest tightened with a dull ache. Even now, seeing the raw concern etched on Donovan's face stung.

Amidst the intense shock of the crowd, Miranda and Montgomery glared at Roxanne, furious that she was causing another scene.

Tears streamed down Roxanne's pale cheeks. She looked up at Donovan, then at the furious parents, her voice a timid, tearful squeak as she confessed the ultimate truth. "I... I have been pregnant for two months."

The words dropped like a bomb.

Miranda gasped, staggering backward. "What? Are you pregnant with Donovan's child?"

Roxanne nodded weakly, letting out another sob. "Donovan, it hurts."

Donovan froze. The blood rushed from his face, leaving him pale and terrified. He was unprepared for the massive revelation of fatherhood. His mind short-circuited. "T-Then, what should we do?" he stammered.

He scrambled for answers and instinctively looked toward the floor, catching sight of Valerie. Their eyes met for a fraction of a second. He saw the tears glistening in her eyes. A heavy wave of guilt slammed into his chest, and he quickly averted his gaze, unable to face the mess he had created.