The people stared at Daisy, hidden beneath a veil, their curiosity evident.
"Who is she?" one woman whispered.
"I wonder who this mysterious woman is that the heir of the Harnes family is marrying," another woman murmured, her gaze fixed on Daisy from across the room.
"Father, I thought you said you'd taken care of this! His bride wasn't supposed to show up at the altar. Who the hell is she?" a young man demanded angrily, turning to the older man beside him. The elder scrutinized the figure on the altar, his face darkening.
"Quiet, boy. Don't let anyone hear you," the older man hissed. "Even I'm wondering who this woman is that Zade brought in. Does he have some secret lover we didn't know about?" The smile that once played on his face twisted into a scowl.
Zade smirked as he noticed the shock on his uncle's face. He knew his uncle must have orchestrated his bride's disappearance. It wasn't a coincidence. Ironically, Zade felt he should thank him. If they hadn't meddled, he would've been marrying a woman he'd never met and possibly a gold digger only interested in his fortune, making a divorce even more complicated.
But now, he was marrying his redheaded assistant. Although the marriage was merely a contract, at least he knew she wasn't out to steal his wealth.
He turned to the priest. "Let's begin," he said calmly.
The priest began reading from the Bible, and they exchanged vows. Everything moved too quickly for Daisy, who felt like a puppet, saying what was expected of her without fully grasping the situation.
"You may kiss your bride," the priest announced.
That snapped Daisy out of her daze. Her eyes widened beneath the veil, panic surging through her.
'Oh Lord, are we really going to kiss? Will I kiss my boss?' she thought in disbelief.
Zade lifted the veil gently and placed a soft peck on her lips. The hall erupted in applause.
"I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Harnes," the priest declared amid the clapping.
Congratulations echoed around the room, and Daisy was surprised to feel an unfamiliar smile tug at her lips.
"Isn't she your assistant? The hot redhead?" one of Zade's cousins asked, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. Zade's expression darkened at the casual description of Daisy.
"Yes," Zade replied, his tone clipped.
"I always knew you had a thing for her. Those big boobs where too ..." the cousin began, but Zade cut him off with a deadly glare.
"Rye, you better watch your mouth when talking about my wife, or I'll personally make sure you regret it," Zade growled, his voice low with warning.
"Protective, aren't we, brother?" Rye smirked. "Calm down. I'm just saying she's beautiful. But if I were you, I'd go protect her from Uncle, not me. He's heading that way with Derek," he said, pointing toward Daisy, who was receiving congratulations from the guests. Zade's eyes followed his cousin's direction, noticing his uncle and Derek moving toward her.
Without hesitation, Zade strode over, placing a firm hand on Daisy's waist just as his uncle arrived.
"Zade, I must say, you've surprised us all today. You married your assistant," his uncle sneered, his disdainful gaze flickering over Daisy, who returned his look with equal disgust.
"Father, isn't it against company policy for a boss to marry an employee? I wonder what Grandmother will think when she finds out. She might deem your bride unfit to be the next Madam of the Harnes family. And that might make you unfit to be the heir," Derek chimed in smugly. He was supposed to take Zade's place as the heir if Zade failed to present a wife today.
Daisy stiffened at Derek's words. He wasn't wrong. Everyone knew the old Madam of the Harnes family was strict and harsh. Daisy had never met her, but now, as Zade's wife—even if only temporarily—there was no avoiding it.
"I didn't realize you paid attention to employees at the First Grant, Uncle," Zade retorted coolly. "Maybe you should focus on the Third Grant, because now that I'm in charge, I might just decide all the grants under the Harnes Group needs a new management and change if staffs ."
His uncle's eyes flared with anger, and Daisy couldn't help but snicker at Zade's sharp response. She had always known him to have a quick wit, but it was satisfying to see him use it on someone other than her.
Just then, a commanding voice echoed through the hall.
"Zade, my boy!"
Zade instantly stood stiff, the sound of the old Madam's voice sending ripples of tension through the room.
"Ah, my mother is here," his uncle said with a sinister smile.