Reborn Rich: The Marvelous William Hudson.

Chapter 5

“The groom has arrived at the scene!”

A voice boomed across the wedding hall the moment William walked through the big doors. All the guests turned to look at him. Some clapped. Others smiled and waved.

William walked straight toward the altar with steady steps. The white flowers and gold ribbons looked exactly like he remembered. The same chairs. The same music playing softly in the background.

Everything was the same as twenty years ago.

As William got closer to the front, a woman in a bright pink dress came rushing toward him. Her heels clicked fast on the marble floor.

Vivian. Lydia's younger sister.

“William! William, wait!”

She grabbed his arm to stop him from walking.

“I had to get this dress even though I couldn't afford it.” Vivian's words came out in a rush. Her face looked worried. “My friends kept laughing at me. They said my sister was marrying some middle class man. I had to show them you're rich!”

Her words made William's eyebrows moved just a little bit. His jaw got tight.

This was exactly what happened before. Word for word. In his old life, he had asked Vivian how much the dress cost. He'd felt sorry for her and paid for it right away.

But now? After twenty years of watching Lydia's whole family turn their backs on him when he needed help most?

Who cares about Vivian and her stupid dress problems.

“I don't care.”

William said the words cold and flat. He kept walking toward the altar.

At that moment hearing what William just said, Vivian's mouth fell open. She ran after him and jumped in front of him again, blocking his path with her arms spread wide.

“Wait! You didn't even ask me how much the dress cost!”

She didn't wait for William to answer. The words just kept pouring out of her mouth.

“It cost me thirty thousand dollars, and I can't pay for it. The woman I bought it from gave me just one day to get the money. After that, she said she'll make me pay no matter what.”

Vivian's voice got higher and more nervous.

“I know it wasn't smart of me to do this, but I just wanted to show my friends that you're not just some nobody.”

At that moment William's hands started shaking with anger. He wanted to slap Vivian so hard her head would spin around. The nerve of this woman. The absolute nerve, someone that actually called him names, insulted him, she even spat on him on multiple occasions.

He couldn't believe she has the Audacity to sweet talk him into repeating the past again.

But William kept his face calm and his voice steady.

“You knew you couldn't afford it, but you bought it anyway. If you don't have the money to pay, it's very simple.” William looked straight into her eyes. “Go and work.”

The word "work" seemed to echo through the air around them. It hit Vivian like a punch to the face.

William walked right past her like she didn't exist anymore. Like she was just empty air.

Vivian stood there frozen. Her mouth hung open. She couldn't believe what just happened. This wasn't the William she knew. The William who always said yes. Who always helped, who always want to be on the good books of everyone. Who always paid for everything.

What had come over him?

William kept walking toward the altar, wishing he had actually smacked Vivian across the face. She deserved it. She'd been horrible to him for twenty years. Even knew that Lydia was cheating on him behind his back and never said a word.

Instead, she kept coming to him for money. Always had her hand out, asking for more.

"What a joke."

William was almost at the altar when another person stepped in front of him.

Simon. Lydia's older brother. Tall and skinny with a fake smile that never reached his eyes.

“Elder brother!” Simon's voice was loud and friendly, but William could hear the desperation underneath.

“I know it's your big day, but could you please send me a hundred thousand dollars? I had a bet with some friends yesterday and I lost big time.”

Simon's smile got wider and more fake.

“Help your little brother out. It's really my sister's money anyway. She'll kill me if she finds out I lost it.”

William wasn't surprised at all. He knew Simon would come asking for money. It happened exactly the same way twenty years ago.

But this time was different, he wasn't going to make same mistake again.

“Let her find out then.”

Simon almost choked on his own breath when he heard William's words. His eyes went wide and his mouth opened and closed like a fish.

He couldn't believe what William just said to him.

Simon forced out a nervous laugh and grabbed William's arm.

“Come on, elder brother. You know how dangerous Lydia is. She'll strangle me to death if she finds out about this money.” Simon's voice got more desperate.

“That's why I came to you first. Today is your big day! You should be super generous so that heaven will favor you, and your marriage.”

William let out a cold chuckle. The sound came from deep in his throat.

Heaven will favor him? That was rich.

William turned and looked at Simon with eyes that could cut through steel. Dark and deadly.

“Marrying your sister means the devil has succeeded. Not heaven's favor or anything else.”

Hearing what he just said, Simon's whole body went stiff. His face lost all its color. He just stood there staring at William like he'd been slapped.

Before Simon could even understand what was happening, William walked right past him. His shoulder bumped Simon hard enough to make him stumble.

William kept walking toward the altar without looking back, then he said.

“You should have thought about your sister strangling you before you spent the money.”