errifying authority. Within seconds, a dozen of his elite, black-suited private guards stepped

d securely around the small girl clutched to his chest. Striding up the marble st

nded, his deep voice slicing

in absolute fury. He slammed his hand against the altar table. "Who is this girl? You can

He kept his gaze locked on the pale p

mysterious girl wrapped in the oversized jacket. "Mr. Thorne...

p tightening around her. "She is hu

uttered open, looking at the massive crowd before shifting up

cking his eyes onto hers. "You

utching his white dress shirt. "Put me

let her go. He kept one massive arm wrapped tightly around her waist, physically anchoring her small body against his

er the velvet ropes. "Mr. Thorn

edia crowd. He raised his left hand, maki

den silence of the room, his tone dripping w

one daring to breathe. They knew the immense financial power of the man standing on

an muttered

uards instantly stepped inward, forming a tight circle around Ethan, the girl, and the

her as his wife, Ethan looked down at her head, smelling the faint sc

the velvet box. She had nowhere left to go. Her father had sold her out, but

er. It was far too loose. Sensing the problem, she quickly closed her

stant, noticing the loose fit. "Bring

up with sudden earnestness. "You don't need to

dden beneath the collar of his jacket. She slid off a plain s

nd, allowing her small, cold fingers to slide the hoop o

a trace of worry in he

iful blue eyes. The corner of his mouth twitched into a

ckly, eager to end the high-stakes tension, "I now pr

mall hands clutched the fabric of Ethan's shirt tightly, her entire bod

bride even closer into his chest. He looked down at the pr

t the reporters. "It is traditional, Mr. Thorne

movement, she clutched his shirt even harder, silently pleading wi

were hungry for. Instead, he gently cupped the side of her face with his massive hand and placed a soft, lingering

his face remained m

g into a cold, strictly professional murmur that only she co

fiery defiance. She narrowed her blue eyes, tilting her c

returned to a cold mask. He wrapped his arm securely back around her waist

oming through the silent hall with pure a

gan to clap frantically, and the applause quickly rippled across the entire ballroom into a thunderous roar. Julian stood o

back up into a secure princess carry. With his guards aggressively pushing open a path through the crow