The Billionaire's Challenge

The Rehearsal Dinner

Chapter 3

The Rehearsal Dinner

(Aundrina's POV)

The grand ballroom of my father’s estate was a testament to the excessive luxury I’d tried so hard to escape. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings, and long tables were draped in velvet, laden with pristine silverware and flower arrangements. It was elegant and refined, exactly the kind of world I had chosen to leave behind. Yet, here I was, sipping champagne and trying to keep my eye from twitching every time someone mentioned “family legacy” or “success.”

I scanned the room, pretending to care about the faces I hadn’t seen in years. Cousins, distant relatives, business associates—I felt like I was drowning in a sea of people who knew nothing about me or my life outside the grip of Ramsey Christensen.

“Audrina.”

I cringed at the sound of that voice. Basil Yerli. I hadn’t seen him approach, which was probably intentional. He had a knack for sneaking up on people—unfortunately, mostly me. He sidled up, far too close for comfort, his breath warm on my neck.

“Basil,” I said through gritted teeth.

He flashed that insufferable grin, leaning in as if we shared some private joke. “You look radiant tonight. As usual.”

“Don’t start with the compliments. It won’t work.” I swirled my glass, barely containing my annoyance.

“Oh, but it will,” he said, flashing a grin that made my skin crawl. “You’ll come around eventually, Nezi. I’m very patient, you know.”

I scoffed. “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again—there’s no version of reality where we end up together, Basil.”

“Never say never,” he hummed. His eyes gleamed with a knowing look, and I could tell he had something up his sleeve. “Your father and I… we’ve been talking.”

“I’m sure you have,” I said, rolling my eyes. Basil's blind loyalty to my father was one of the most obnoxious things about him. He saw Ramsey as a titan, a man to emulate, but all I saw was a master manipulator.

“You’ll see. Soon enough, things will align perfectly for us.” He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “I’m patient, Audrina. And I’m not going anywhere.”

“You’re delusional.” I stepped away, putting much-needed space between us. “Excuse me, I have to take this,” I said, as my phone vibrated.

I turned on my heel before Basil could say anything else, heading toward a quieter corner of the ballroom. Seeing Airelle’s name flash on the screen felt like a lifeline.

“Airelle, thank God,” I breathed.

Her light, breathless laugh echoed through the phone. “You sound like you’re at a funeral. Is the rehearsal dinner that bad?”

I glanced around the room. “Worse. Basil just hinted, again, that we’re going to end up together. The man’s delusional.”

Airelle made a sound of disgust. “That slimy bastard? I don’t know how you tolerate it. Anyway, I wish I was calling for a friendly chat, but we have a bit of a situation back here.”

My stomach dropped. “What’s going on?”

“We need to talk about the cash flow problem. Our latest project in Montmartre is draining more than expected, and we have those two upcoming bids hanging in the balance. If we don’t figure something out, we might have to put the brakes on expansion.” Her voice, usually so calm, was edged with concern.

I sighed. Running a boutique architecture firm in Paris was a dream come true, but it came with its share of stress. Airelle was the interior designer genius, and I handled the architecture side of things, but lately, we’d been struggling with the finances. Cash flow was becoming a serious issue, and this wasn’t the first time we’d had this conversation.

“I know,” I said, rubbing my temples. “I’m out of town for Soren’s wedding, but I’ll be back in a few days. We’ll figure this out. I promise.”

“Can’t wait. Just don’t let your family drive you too crazy, okay?” Airelle’s voice softened. “And don’t worry about this too much while you’re there. I’ll hold down the fort.”

“Thanks, Airelle. I’ll call you as soon as I’m back in Paris.”

I hung up, feeling the weight of everything pressing in on me. My family’s expectations, Basil’s persistence, the mounting business problems—it was all swirling together, and I was starting to feel trapped.

Just then, Noah appeared at my side.

“Audrina,” he said, his voice softer than usual.

I glanced up at him, already wary. “What do you want, Noah?”

“I came to apologize,” he said, running a hand through his dark hair. “I didn’t handle things well earlier with Father. I should have prepared you, told you what to expect. I’m sorry for lying to you, for dragging you into this mess.”

I folded my arms, my gaze hardening. “I appreciate the apology, but that doesn’t change what you did.”

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I know, I know. But I just want you to understand that things aren’t as black and white as they seem. You left, Audrina. You had the freedom to walk away, to build your life. But me? Soren? We’ve been here. You don’t know the pressures we’ve been under.”

“Pressures?” I repeated, incredulous. “You think I don’t understand pressure? I walked away from everything. I built a business from scratch in a foreign country. I know exactly what pressure feels like.”

Noah’s jaw clenched. “I’m not saying you don’t. But Father… he’s not the same man you remember.”

“Oh, really? Because the man I spoke to earlier today was exactly the same manipulative control freak I left behind five years ago.”

Before Noah could respond, a sharp clink of glass echoed through the ballroom, and I turned to see my father standing at the front of the room, a glass of wine in his hand.

“Thank you, everyone, for joining us tonight,” Ramsey’s voice boomed through the room, commanding attention as he always did. “I’m thrilled to celebrate the marriage of my son, Soren, to the lovely Nicola. But more than that, I’m proud to have all of you here to witness the strength and legacy of the Christensen family.”

I barely suppressed a groan. Of course, he would make it about himself.

Noah gave me a meaningful look, as if to say, *See? This is what I have to deal with.* But I wasn’t in the mood to sympathize. Not when I was reminded, yet again, of how little had changed in this world.

After what felt like an eternity of self-aggrandizing talk from my father, the crowd broke into polite applause, and I finally allowed myself a breath of relief. I needed a drink.

I spotted Thessaly near the bar and made my way over, grabbing a glass of wine on my way.

“Hey stranger,” Thessaly said with a grin, pulling me into a hug.

“Thess,” I sighed. “Please tell me you brought something stronger.”

She laughed. “I wish. But hey, we’ve got a whole open bar here. Let’s take advantage.”

Mirana and Nicola joined us a few moments later, and soon, the four of us were chatting and drinking, laughing at old memories from school and reminiscing about the simpler times. For a brief moment, I almost forgot the weight on my shoulders. Almost.

As the night wore on, I found myself gravitating toward my aunt and cousins—people I hadn’t seen in years but who weren’t like the rest of the family. They weren’t part of my father’s circle of power and control. They were warm, genuine, and reminded me of the part of this family I had once loved.

I hugged my Aunt Irene, who looked at me with a softness I hadn’t felt in so long. “We’ve missed you, Audrina,” she said. “It’s been too long.”

“I’ve missed you all too,” I admitted, surprised at the lump forming in my throat. It was true—I missed the warmth, the connection. But I also knew that I loved my freedom too much to ever come back for good.

Being here reminded me of what I had left behind. But it also solidified one truth: I had made the right choice. No matter how much my family missed me or how much I missed them, I couldn’t let myself be trapped in Ramsey’s world again.

I downed the rest of my wine, bracing myself for the next 48 hours. I could survive this. I had to.