The Spiteful Bride, Marry to Rival's Son

Mia and Stefan walked in silence. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

The chatter of children, the hum of rides, and the sweet scent of roasted nuts and cotton candy filled the air, but between them, only silence existed.

Stefan didn’t say a word, and neither did Mia. Their hands still intertwined together. She should’ve yanked her hand away, should’ve demanded answers.

But she didn’t.

Still, her heart thudded with a slow-growing irritation. They’d been walking for minutes, minutes!.....and he hadn’t said anything. Not a single word. Just silence and long strides that forced her to keep up. Like she had committed a grievous crime.

Her patience finally snapped.

She jerked to a stop and yanked her hand away. "Why are you here?" she hissed, eyes narrowed. "This isn’t a place for someone as serious-minded as you,"

Her voice was sharper than she intended, but she didn’t care. He had no right. No right to come there, ruin her rare happy moment, and drag her away without explanation.

But Stefan didn’t get offended, he just looked around. Like he was inputting every details on his memory.

His lips barely moved as he murmured, "I’ve never been here before."

Mia blinked. Surprised he even responded and that he was telling her this information.

What?

She tilted her head, arms crossing against her chest. "Really?" she said with a half-scoff. "I guess you don’t like a place like this. God forbid that Stefan Sterling has a little fun."

Her voice was laced with mockery. She was being mean on purpose now. She knew it. But a part of her didn’t care. So he came to disrupt her fun because he didn’t like a place like this.

And here she was thinking he came because he missed her. He mentally slapped herself. She was delusional.

"My mom hated here."

Mia froze mid-step, the fire in her veins suddenly simmering into something colder... quieter. Stefan’s voice was low, but there was something underneath it, something tight and fragile.

She never expected him to respond. She stood not knowing what to say. "Why" She asked unsure if he would respond.

"This was the last place Jeremiah brought her to before breaking up with her... Where she wanted to announce her pregnancy to him. But, after their time together, he dropped the bomb about his upcoming wedding. Said he wanted to spend the day with her....as a goodbye."

A heavy silence wrapped around them. The vibrant noise of the amusement park faded into a background hum.

Stefan’s eyes were far away, his expression unreadable. He didn’t know why he was telling her this. He’d never told anyone before.

Stefan had no idea why he was sharing something has private as this, not even Mose knew this. But with Mia, the words just slipped out like a whisper long trapped in his chest.

He had overheard his mom talking to her best friend when he was three.

He was too little then, didn’t understand anything. Just the fact that his mom was crying when she was telling her friend. Since then he hadn’t been able to forget about that day, it has been in his mind all these years.

Mia’s throat tightened. "Did you ever tell your mom you wanted to come?"

Stefan didn’t respond immediately. Mia already thought that was enough information he could dish out for the day. And she was greatful he was sharing a part of him she knew he’d kept to himself for years.

"I didn’t want to remind her of her greatest pain... So, when she asked on my birthdays if I wanted to come here, I said no. Told her I hated this place."

Mia’s heart bled, her lips parted ever so slowly like a whisper. "But you didn’t... hate it?"

Stefan’s voice was quieter now, the edges rough. "I already reminded her of him in too many ways. I couldn’t do anything else to hurt her. So I’d wait until she fell asleep. Then I’d sneak out. Come here... but never go inside. I’d just stand at the far corner of the street... and watch people pass."

A bitter smile curled on his lips. The kind of smile that made Mia want to cry.

Mia’s chest ached. For the little boy who never got to play. For the child who stood outside the gates of happiness, watching others enjoy what he was too afraid to claim.

For a child who had to become an adult when he was supposed to be just a child.

She stared at him, this man who held the world in his hands, yet looked so much like the lonely boy he once was.

She imagined the type of life he had lived, a son of a billionaire, living like a someone who had no dad.

Then her expression changed.

Without a word, she grabbed his hand, intertwined them more firmly this time.

Stefan blinked, surprised.

"Come on," she said, a small determined spark lighting her eyes.

He didn’t resist.

He let her drag him, a flicker of something unreadable in his gaze. Not resistance. Just quiet... surprise.

Mia wasn’t even sure where she was going at first, but she found her way back to the cotton candy stall. Even though her legs ached from walking all day, and she was sure her feet were already swelling inside her sneakers, she didn’t care.

If Stefan Sterling had never experienced joy here, then she’d make sure he did now.

Even if they stayed till midnight.

Even if they visited every stall, played every game, and rode every ride, she’d do it all again with him.

They stopped in front of the cotton candy stand. The vendor, a plump woman with bright red cheeks and a permanent smile, looked up.

People were staring now. Some ladies eyes lingered more than necessary. How could they not? He was hot. Mia felt like plucking out their eyes.

Stefan stood tall and commanding even among a sea of playful chaos. Why was he this good looking?

She reached into her bag for her wallet, Stefan tried to stop her, but she refused.

She paid for two giant sticks of pink cotton candy and handed one to him.

"You know what this is?"

"No idea," he said.

She giggled. "Try it."

He looked at the fluffy sugar like it was some foreign object. Mia tore a bit and shoved it toward his lips. He opened slightly, watching her, and she popped it in.

His brows furrowed, then he blinked. "That’s... strange."

"It’s sugar," she said, giggling again.

He gave her a soft, fleeting smile. The kind you could blink and miss.

"You’re smiling," she teased, nudging him.

"No, I’m not."

"Yes, you are."

He shook his head, clearly holding back a real smile now. He couldn’t remember when last he felt this kind of way.

They stood there for a moment, him holding cotton candy awkwardly like it was a bomb, and her watching him with a glowing warmth in her eyes.

This. This was what happiness looked like.

And she was going to give it to him, even if it killed her.

HE WAS IN LOVE WITH MIA MEYER