On the day of Alexander’s wedding to Stephanie, he was summoned to a press conference the first thing in morning.
Thousands of media houses and reporters hungrily flashed their cameras at him like vultures, ready to devour him
Beside him, grandfather sat his father and grandfather, their eyes lined with deep disappointment.
Alexander hesitated at first, but soon his arrogance took over…he made an empire once, he could do it all over again.
A board member seeing the rising tension said slowly. “Mr.Alexander your marriage is something that can influence the future of this buisness empire….we have done a through research of ‘Stephanie Winslet‘ and to think you fell for that kind of woman-”
“Enough…I will marry her today, its final.”
“Alright then.” Grandfather’s voice echoed loudly “From this day Alexander Hamilton is banished from the Hamilton family, all his shares, properties and assets are seized and will be liquidated.”
While Alexander proudly displayed his ‘rightiousness‘, Stephanie was getting downed in expensive yellow diamond jewelry as more than five stylist worked on her wedding gown and makeup.
“Are you blind, drinking coffee while dressing me, this gown’s worth is more than your entire life. If something happens to it I will not let you off!” with a snap Stephanie pushed the stylist to the ground making others barely able to control their frustration.
A slight crease in her makeup, a small hair strand left out of the bun made her snap instantly.
At that moment the lead stylist entered the studio with her face stiff.
“Everyone, stop whatever you are doing, Miss Stephanie we don’t think we are capable enough to serve you now that you have gained such ‘high‘ status.
“What do you mean by this?!” Stephanie stood up with a sharp glint in her eyes.
“I am afraid you haven’t seen the news yet but you can drop this act of being high and mighty now. You cannot even afford a small bracelet from my store let alone this dress.”
The stylist quickly turned on the television and the breaking news streamed.
[HAMILTON GROUP ANNOUNCES END OF ALL RELATIONS. ALEXANDER HAMILTON DISOWNED.]
[ONCE A HEIR, NOW A BROKE MAN]
Stephanie froze as various legally stamped documents flashed across the screen.
Alexander had lost everything…his estate, his stake in Hamilton Enterprises, the luxurious sports cars, the jewelry he bought under the company’s name and even his own villa….. it was all gone officially.
Soon the designer bags and dresses Alexander gifted her would be ceased by the police.
“Can you believe this?” she said with a maniac like laughter, gritting her teeth.
Charter 20
2/3
67.8%
“I worked so hard to get married into the Hamilton family and it was futile at last?! To think that wench Lavina left Alexander at this critical junction and saved herself while I have to suffer!”
The stylists paused exchanging glances with one another.
At that moment Alexander finally arrived at the wedding venue to a see it discarded.
The hall, once meant to seat five hundred now barely held ten people….most of which are mere employees or Alexander’s ‘close‘ friends who stood awkwardly by the champagne table, eyes heavy with judgment as they whispered.
“Man have you heard…Stephanie is not a Winslet heiress but….the daughter of a maid?!”
“WHAT? What do mean a nanny’s daughter? Wasn’t she so beloved that her elder brother gifted her a yatch on her seventeenth birthday?”
“What beloved daughter and what elder brother? That girl was swapped with the real princess who is none other than Lavina and that gift was meant for Lavina!”
“Lavina as in Alexander’s ex wife?”
“Yes! My brother was a college friend of the young master of Winslet family and said that after the young master went to study abroad, he said to give a great gift to sister but Stephanie thought it was hers and paraded it all around us. Now that he has returned he is really angry and is searching for Lavina like crazy.”
“To think Alex knew everything and still left Lavina who was so pitiful…it is really cruel.”
Alexander listened from afar without a single word yet each word felt like a dagger was being twisted in his heart. He wanted to search for me like crazy but….Stephanie and the child…….with that he closed his eyes and his expression chilled.
He must go through this wedding anyhow.
With that Alexander waitied, standing at the alter in his pristine white suit.
An hour passed……two.
He stood at the altar, eyes locked on the grand doors.
Any moment now, she would walk in.
The priest leaned in gently, murmuring, “Mr. Hamilton… where is the bride?”
After 34 missed calls from him, finally Alexander’s phone buzzed in his pocket and hope surged in his heart.
But it wasn’t a call. It was her message.
[Stephanie: I am not feeling well so I won’t be coming.]
Just that. No explanation. No apology at all.
Alexander’s vision blurred for a second. Not coming?
What did that even mean?
He typed a message hurridely yet red marks appeared beside his message.
“She….blocked me?” With that no matter how many times he tried calling the calls were automatically rejected.
“No…this can’t be happening…..” His ears rang as everyone watched him like a fool.
Chapter 20
2:38 pm
The whispers began. Soft at first.
A few heads tilted as phones were already out recording the shame of the Hamilton legacy.
“He brought this on himself…Hamiltons did well on throwing him away or who knows how ashamed they would have felt.”
“She left him at the altar…after everything.”
“Stephanie stood him up. Bold…maybe it’s his karma”
“Maybe she was smarter than we thought.”
Faces turned away. Some tried to hide their smirks while others openly looked at him mockingly. One by one, the guests left heels clicking against marble like a mockery of vows that were never spoken. Laughter echoed faintly near the back.
Alexander just stood there, frozen in disbelief, his phone still in his hand as he refused to beleive his childhood sweetheart will do such a thing to him… as if she might take it all back in the next
message.
Then one of his men came running breathless “Sir… our men have reported Miss Winslet to be seen near a jewelry store, apparently she is selling all of your gifts and withdrawing cash! In twenty minutes the Hamilton lawyers will be here and cease your home as well….maybe Miss Stephanie realized that and decided to flee with the money.”
It was at that moment Alexander’s phone slipped from his hand with a crash on the floor, his eyes red with rage.
2:38 pm
