The-Wrong-Bride-Ares--Raven’s-story-(Maura,-Catharina)_bibis

types of events. You’ll just get harassed all night long. I wish I could’ve made it.”
I shake my head. “It’s fine. You have an early flight to catch, don’t you? Besides, you hate the
entertainment industry.”
Lex is in charge of Windsor Motors, and if I recall correctly, he’ll be revealing our latest electric
car soon. Each of us is in charge of a different part of the Windsor empire. I handle our entertainment
firms, Lexington does motor vehicles, Sierra handles real estate, Zane is in charge of our hotels, Luca
does asset management, and Dion manages all of our foreign holdings. Between the six of us, we run
all of Windsor Corp, dominating far more of the market than people realize.
“I’ll be fine,” I tell my brother. “It’s just a fashion show. I’ve sponsored plenty of those. I’ll just
put in an appearance and leave.”
Lex smiles at me. “Raven will be there, so you’ll be fine. She’s the star of the show tonight. I
don’t know how, but she just keeps getting more and more beautiful. I really wish I could’ve made it.”
I tense involuntarily and narrow my eyes at Lexington. Since when did he think Raven is
beautiful? She’s always been like a little sister to all of us. Has the way he sees her changed?
“How do you know she’s going to be there tonight?”
Come to think of it, just recently they went to an art gallery together, just the two of them. Is
something going on between them?
He smirks at me and holds up his phone. “I spoke to her earlier today.”
What? She almost always declines my calls, but she has time to speak to Lex?
Lex chuckles at me, his gaze unreadable. “Tell Raven I said hi, will you?”
I nod, knowing I’ll do no such thing. Something about the idea of Lexington with Raven deeply
unsettles me, and it isn’t just because of the recurring dreams I have about her — dreams I shouldn’t
be having at all.
I’m in a shit mood as I head to the event, unable to pin down what I’m so annoyed about. I should
be used to Hannah standing me up by now, but it never gets easier. For years now, we’ve hidden our
relationship, wary of the media’s attention. Hannah has always been scared that she’d be accused of
nepotism if people found out we’re together, and I get it. I know how hard she works, and having the
media’s attention in that way only spells trouble. I understand where she’s coming from, but I’m tired
of it all.
The room is buzzing when I walk in and I pause in the corner, my eyes on the catwalk. I rarely
even watch these shows — once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all, and I couldn’t care less about
fashion. Yet tonight, I can’t tear my eyes off the woman dominating the stage.
Raven walks across the catwalk wearing a tight dress that leaves very little to the imagination,
and I take a moment to admire her. She works just as hard as Hannah does, if not harder, yet she never
lets anyone she loves down. I know how often my sister shows up at her office unannounced, and my
grandmother does the same. I can’t help but wonder why Hannah can’t be more like her. They’re
sisters, but they’re so different.
My mind drifts back to the time my grandmother first mentioned a marriage between the Windsors
and the Du Ponts. Back then, it was Raven they wanted me to marry. I sigh as she turns and walks
back across the stage, a sense of inexplicable loss washing over me.
“Mr. Windsor!”
I force a smile onto my face as I turn toward the organizer of today’s event, making the necessary
small talk. So much in show biz is about seeing and being seen, and I’m sick of it. I’m tired of the
pretentiousness, the fakeness, of living in a world of make belief. I’m craving genuineness.
“Several of your models walked our stage today,” Jonas tells me proudly. “Windsor Media truly