What Happens When the Wrong Brother Becomes the Right Choice?

§01

The crystal chandeliers of the Banyan Grand Hotel dripped light like frozen diamonds, each one reflecting the flawless smile I had practiced for hours.

It was my grandmother’s annual foundation gala, the glittering apex of the city’s social calendar, and tonight, it was supposed to be my coronation.

My fiancé, Lachlan Montgomery, was stepping up to the podium.

Tall, handsome, and impeccably dressed in a bespoke Brioni suit that cost more than most people’s cars.

He was the heir to the Montgomery fortune, the golden boy of the tech world, the other half of our city's most anticipated power merger.

My half.

He smiled, a perfect, camera-ready flash of white.

But his hand wasn’t reaching for mine.

It was reaching for a girl standing slightly behind him, almost hidden in the shadows of the stage.

She wore a janitor’s uniform.

Her name was Savannah Price, and I knew for a fact she was on the hotel's payroll.

A murmur rippled through the crowd, a thousand silk dresses rustling in unison.

My smile didn’t falter.

It was a Harrington smile, forged from generations of strategic intuition and unshakeable composure.

It was a mask.

Lachlan took the microphone.

His voice, usually so smooth and commanding in boardrooms, had a tremor of righteous fervor.

"Tonight, I was supposed to announce the final step in the union between the Montgomery and Harrington families."

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.

He looked directly at me, across the sea of curious faces.

"But I can't. Because today, I'm here to break off my engagement with Avery Harrington."

The gasp from the crowd was a physical force, a wave of shock that washed over me.

My mask held.

Lachlan pulled Savannah forward, into the blinding spotlight.

She blinked, looking fragile, innocent, like a startled doe.

It was a masterful performance.

"You may all see a woman in a uniform," Lachlan declared, his voice ringing with manufactured sincerity.
"But I see the purest, kindest soul I have ever known. Avery is an heiress, but that doesn't make her superior. I am in love with Savannah Price’s beautiful soul."

My grandfather, Elias Harrington, rose from his seat at the head table.

His movement was slow, deliberate, but it silenced the entire ballroom.

"You insolent whelp!" he roared, his voice like cracking ice.

He snatched the heavy crystal tumbler from the table, not the whiskey, just the glass, and hurled it.

It flew, a glittering arc of fury, and shattered on the stage floor at Lachlan’s feet.

Lachlan instinctively shielded Savannah with his body, a gallant protector in a six-figure suit.

A noble gesture, completely unnecessary.

My grandfather’s aim was always precise.

He hadn’t been aiming for the girl.

He’d been aiming for the illusion.

Lachlan straightened up, holding Savannah’s hand high like a trophy.

"Today, I want to tell everyone, loud and clear, the person I love is Savannah Price!" he bellowed.
"She may come from a humble background, but she is braver and stronger than any of you. In my heart, she is a thousand times better than Avery Harrington."

My grandfather was speechless with rage, his knuckles white on the table.

I walked to his side, placing a calming hand on his arm.

My gaze, however, was locked on Lachlan.

"A cheater and a homewrecker. Is that supposed to be honorable?" I asked, my voice dangerously calm.

Lachlan met my eyes without a shred of guilt, delivering the classic line.
"It's not cheating if you're not in love, Avery. Savannah is a kind girl. Don't tarnish her with that word."

Savannah stepped forward, her chin high, suddenly filled with confidence.
"Ms. Harrington, I never wanted to hurt anyone. But Lachlan doesn’t love you. Your engagement was just a business deal, not real love."

She took a deep breath, playing the role of the reluctant heroine.
"Being a tool for a family merger is tragic. Everyone deserves to be whole, to have dignity. I believe when you find your true happiness, you’ll thank us for taking this first step."

The sheer audacity of it almost made me laugh.

"Savannah is right," Lachlan continued, his voice dripping with condescending pity.
"Even if you married me, I would never love you. You come from a privileged world, Avery. You should do something meaningful with your life instead of just obsessing over a man and calling other women homewreckers."

That did it.

Seriously... wasn't there a decorative Viking battle-axe mounted in the study?

"Get them out! Get them out of my sight!" my grandfather bellowed, grabbing the back of a chair as if he meant to wield it himself.

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