Page 20 of Not His Bride

Between leaving the reception, cutting myself out of my wedding dress, quitting the Jovi Group, and avoiding every headline with my name in it, I somehow never stopped to consider that yelling annulment into a microphone wasn’t the same as actually filing for one.

Which means Gallagher and I are still very much married.

That realization sits strangely in my stomach.

“Right,” I say. “Apparently, I skipped that part.”

“Understandable, given the circumstances.” Kelsey folds her hands over the folder. “We have to file for it, but I want to make sure we’re on the same page first. Your argument is pretty simple: you agreed to marry Gallagher because you believed he chose you and was entering the marriage honestly. Then you found out he originally wanted Debbie and had only agreed to marry you because she wasn’t available.”

That sounds painfully accurate.

“Is that enough?”

“Enough to file? Yes. But to guarantee anything? No. We’ll pitch it as fraud, but worst-case scenario, we’ll have to file for divorce if the annulment is denied.”

“So, what happens now?”

“We file the paperwork, and Gallagher gets notified. If he fights it, it gets more complicated. If he doesn’t, it should be easier, but a judge has to approve it.”

Coincidentally, Gallagher contacted me this morning asking if I’d be willing to meet with him and talk about what happens next. I agreed, and we’re meeting tomorrow.

I stare down at the folder. It’s strange seeing our names together on paperwork meant to separate them.

“File it.”

Kelsey watches me for half a second. “You’re sure?”

I think about the ballroom. Fine, Lilith, then.

“Yes.”

Kelsey tells me her office will handle serving Gallagher. I ask for a copy, anyway. If I’m going to sit across from him tomorrow and talk about our future, then I don’t want to pretend I haven’t already decided what I’m doing with our marriage.

We move on to the contracts with my father.

Kelsey lifts her gaze. “Most of it’s bullshit,” she says, voice calm but steel-edged. “You’re free to start your company. Free to compete with Jovi. You can even approach the same clients, so long as you don’t carry over their confidential data or trade secrets.”

I blink. “The same clients?”

“Lilith”—she leans forward, tapping the contract with a painted fingernail—“the Jovi Group doesn’t own the entire luxury industry.”

It’s the kindest reassurance I’ve heard all week. The tension drains from my shoulders.

She flips a page. “Your father can send threatening letters if he wants. He doesn’t own your expertise or the relationships you’ve built. Anything you create now with your own money and without Jovi’s proprietary information belongs to you.”

I tuck her words away. It’s a good thing I had, too, because later that afternoon, an email notification pings on my laptop from a Parisian distributor I’ve worked with previously.

“Lilith, congratulations on your new venture. I got your email. Are you consulting independently?”

Without hesitation, I type back, “Yes.” I felt bad CC’ing all my professional contacts when I had done it, but I had to make sure everyone knew I was leaving Jovi and wouldn’t get blamed for any issues moving forward.

Then, an hour later, my phone buzzes with a WhatsApp alert. This time it’s from an executive of a home decor brand based in Austin, Texas. His message reads: Heard you’ve left Jovi. I have a project that could use your expertise. May I call?

For the first time, someone is contacting me because they want Lilith Jovi, not access to Debbie or the Jovi Group. My pulse races as I schedule a virtual meeting. The calls are brief but specific. I agree to independent fees, building my own revenue stream while keeping those relationships intact. They may come in handy when I launch my gothic lifestyle brand.

Later that night, fingers flying over my keyboard, I draft a list of personal projects I’m eager to start. The apartment is dark except for the lamp beside the sofa and the glow of my laptop. The open curtains turn the windows into black mirrors. When I finally open Google, my breath catches at the top headline from several days ago.

MERGER CANCELED AT GALLAGHER CORTEZ’S DIRECTION.