The Groom Is Now the Rival

Two days before we were set to sign our marriage license, my unreleased original wedding song was stolen.

A lowly intern brought in by my fianc, Gideon Thorne, sang it on a hit music show and became famous overnight.

I didn't hesitate. I had the legal department draft a lawsuit for ten million dollars in damages immediately.

But as soon as the papers were ready, Gideon broke into my office in the middle of the night.

He grabbed the documents and ripped them into tiny pieces.

"Sienna is just a small-town girl who doesn't understand copyright rules," he barked.

"You're a high-level director. How can you be so ruthless to a defenseless woman?"

This song wasn't just my hard work.

It was the surprise I had spent months composing to sing at our wedding.

My expression turned cold. "Gideon, she stole my wedding song. Who exactly is your wife?"

Gideon looked down at the shredded paper on the floor with a condescending sneer.

"Everyone in the industry knows you're mine. Even if you get a reputation for bullying a rookie, I'll still marry you on Sunday."

"As for the song, just post a statement saying you gave it to her."

The next second, Sienna York posted on her social media:

"The debut caused some drama, but luckily Mr. Thorne protected me! He gave me the song as a gift!"

I stared at the sheet music he had stepped on and sent a text to my biggest rival.

"The wedding of the century in two days. The groom is now you."

I don't keep trash that others have already made dirty.

Gideon thought I was backing down. He reached out to put an arm around my shoulder.

I took a half-step back, avoiding his touch.

"You're right, Mr. Thorne. I was being small-minded. I shouldn't be so hard on someone who is legally illiterate."

Gideon's hand froze in mid-air. His face darkened.

"Sloane, there's no need to be so sarcastic."

"I'm not saying you're wrong. But Sienna has had a hard life."

"You used to love mentoring rookies. Why are you so determined to ruin this one?"

I looked past him at Sienna York.

She was wearing a six-figure Chanel gown and jewelry a sponsor had just sent over.

In just three months, she went from a girl who couldn't read music to the industry's rising star.

All because she was draped in luxury goods provided by Gideon.

The Thorne Group's wedding of the century is in two days.

A copyright scandal now would only give our competitors more ammunition to destroy us.

I curled my lips into a smile.

I threw the backup flash drive on my desk directly into the trash can.

"Don't worry, Mr. Thorne. I'm not interested in making things hard for her."

"This matter is over."

Gideon's shoulders relaxed, but then he frowned again.

"What did you just call me? You've never called me Mr. Thorne in the office before..."

I cut him off. "The intern doesn't know the rules, but as the Music Director, I have to maintain boundaries."

Without looking at them again, I walked straight out of the room.

Sienna, who had been playing dead in the corner, suddenly laughed as she pointed at the trash can.

"I knew Sloane was the best!"

"It's just a song. It's just a bunch of chords put together."

"The cleaning lady said this tune would be perfect for a cheap feminine hygiene commercial. I'll have marketing look into it!"

She wanted to take the wedding song I'd saved for years and use it for a five-dollar pad commercial.

If that happened, my reputation as a top producer would be completely crushed.

Sienna's voice was loud and clear.

The entire office floor went silent, followed by muffled whispers and giggles.

"The great Director Sloane Vance is getting her work turned into a pad jingle?"

"I bet she wrote that love song to beg Gideon for more attention."

"Too bad for her. Gideon only cares about our little Sienna now!"

My wrist trembled. I fixed my eyes on her.

"Sienna York, are you trying to disgust me on purpose?"

Sienna suddenly slumped her shoulders. Tears began to stream down her face.

She buried her head in Gideon's chest.

"Gideon, why is she being so mean?"

"You taught me to use every resource. Was I wrong to try and make money for the company?"

"It's just a discarded song. What's wrong with making a little extra cash..."

Gideon held her tight and sighed at me.

"Sloane, she's just blunt. She didn't mean to insult you."

"Small-town girls grow up poor. All she thinks about is helping the company, which shows loyalty."

"Her wild, untamed spirit is much more refreshing than you pampered socialites."

I stared at him. "When others do it, it's theft. When she does it, it's refreshing?"

"Gideon, do you remember what you promised me when we were living in that basement?"

Sienna hid in his arms and rolled her eyes at me when he wasn't looking.

Gideon rubbed his temples. "Sloane, if you're going to be this petty, I'll have accounting pay you double her appearance fee."

I looked him in the eye. "No thanks. I don't like dirty money."

I turned off my phone when I reached the parking garage.

The Gideon I once knew was never this kind of blind bastard.

Years ago, a rival producer stole my arrangement and threatened to blackball me.

Gideon walked into that man's dinner party and smashed a wine bottle over his head.

When the company ran out of money and we couldn't pay for heat, I had a high fever.

Gideon wrapped me in his coat and used his own body heat to keep me warm.

I thought we were each other's only hope in this cold industry.

Then Sienna York was hired, and his morals disappeared.

Every time he went abroad for business, he'd walk blocks out of his way for her.

"This guitar pick is cool. Sienna has never seen one like this. I'll get it for her."

"Sienna has a weak stomach. I'll drink her share of the booze at the meeting tonight."

Even last month, when I was trying on my couture wedding dress, he was distracted.

"Sloane, don't you think this style would look more pure on Sienna?"

"The fit is good. I'll have the designer make a simpler version for her everyday wear."

In that moment, I realized our five-year relationship had rotted to the core.

Rain pounded on the windshield. Someone started banging on my car window.

Gideon stood there with an umbrella, his shoulder getting soaked.

"Sloane, are you really that mad?"

"I was a bit harsh earlier. But our wedding is in two days."

"Can't you just let this go?"

I rolled the window down an inch. "Can your words restore my reputation in the industry?"

"Can they un-stain the fact that my song was ruined?"

"Then what do you want from me!" Gideon gripped the edge of the window, his veins popping.

"Do you want to drive her to her death before you're satisfied?"

Suddenly, Sienna rushed into the rain without an umbrella.

She threw herself onto the ground in front of my car, wailing.

"Sloane, it's all my fault! I shouldn't have taken your song!"

"If you can't stand me, I'll take the blame. Just don't fight with Gideon!"

"It's just a song, right? I'll give it back to you!"

She pulled a brow razor from her pocket and slashed at her wrist.

Gideon dropped his umbrella and lunged forward to grab the blade.

Sienna collapsed into his arms, shivering and soaked to the bone.

"Gideon, let me just die!"

"If Sloane won't forgive me, I have no future in this industry anyway..."

Gideon held her tight and roared at me. "That's enough!"

"Are you trying to kill someone in the middle of the street?"

"She just borrowed a song. Are you really going to push her to suicide?"

"Sloane Vance, I thought you were graceful. I didn't know you were this evil!"

"Do you need to see a corpse to be happy?"

"You make me sick!"

I watched the two of them hugging in the rain.

My five years of hard work being destroyed was fine, but a thief's tears were a tragedy.

Any idiot could see Sienna was acting, but he chose to be her blind knight.

I smirked, rolled up the window, and floored it, leaving them in the rearview mirror.

When I got back to my apartment, my investor, Mr. Walker, called me.

He started screaming the moment I picked up.

"Sloane Vance! What the hell are you doing?"

"Your wedding is in two days. Why are you starting a copyright war on social media right now?"

"The stock price is tanking!"

I tried to speak, but he cut me off.

"If you don't fix this mess, I will dilute every single share you own by tomorrow!"

"Think carefully!" He hung up.

I leaned back on my sofa. Sienna hadn't followed legal procedures.

On a public level, this was a muddy mess that no one could clean.

Was I really supposed to just swallow this insult?

At midnight, my phone vibrated like crazy. My assistant's voice was shaking.

"Boss, everything has gone to hell!"

"Sienna York just went live on social media. She announced she's leaving the industry forever!"

"She took all the blame. She said she isn't worthy of singing and 'stole' your work!"

"She's using self-destruction to 'return' the song to you. Everyone is calling you a bully!"

A screenshot followed the message.

Right before the stream cut off, Sienna had cut her palm. It was a bloody mess.

She used her career to buy public sympathy and paint me as a villainous capitalist.

If I didn't dig to the bottom of this, I would always be the woman who drove a girl to suicide.

I hit the record button for a voice note.

"It's fine. Let the rumors spread. Don't do any PR."

My assistant panicked. "But Boss! If we don't explain, people will spit on you at your wedding!"

"It doesn't matter," I replied coldly.

The person getting buried at the wedding won't be me.

Suddenly, the keypad on my door beeped. Gideon forced his way in with a spare key.

His tie was a mess. He pointed a finger at me.

"Sloane, was this your plan all along?"

"Are you happy now? Her career is gone, and she has nerve damage in her hand!"

"How is she supposed to live? You're a woman too. How can you be this cruel?"

"You're just bullying her because she has no background. Is this your idea of class?"

I looked at him, picked up a letter opener from the table, and slammed it down.

"Since you've already decided I'm the villain, go ahead. Kill me and get revenge for your precious Sienna."