Page 106 of The Boss and the Wedding Mess

"But they got married," I whisper, confused.

"Yes," Stephanie breathes.

When she responds, Marc looks away. He's full of rage and both his hands clench into fists.

"Of course I’m in love with you," Stephanie says, tears rolling down her cheeks. "You're only realizing this now?"

She looks at Alex disdainfully. Marc doesn't comment on any of it, though I can clearly see how much it hurts him. I think I'm slowly beginning to understand what's going on here.

"And then you marry my best friend?" Alex sounds accusatory.

No wonder.

"Because you were supposed to stop the wedding! Instead, you help plan it and you’re happy for him!" Stephanie leaps to her feet.

"You pretended to return his feelings, marry him, even got pregnant! Just to make me jealous?" Alex finishes angrily. "How could you do this to him?" Alex leaps up too. "He has sincerely loved you from the beginning, and you're just pretending?"

"I had to find some way to bring you back to England! You would never have returned on your own!"

"I was planning to fly back after the wedding," he responds heatedly.

"That's why I talked to your father."

So, is Stephanie even admitting to manipulating his father?

"You put that idea in his head?"

“I needed you here! To realize you’d lose me if you didn’t stop the wedding!” she screams at him desperately. Tearfully, she glances at me and sobs: "When London burst into the church, it was a blessing! I thought it was a sign from heaven. Everything could have all worked out perfectly, but then you ran after her and pushed me back into Marc’s arms. What was I supposed to do? Even pretending jealousy over his supposed ‘affair’ didn’t stop the marriage!”

"So that's why you were always asking me about Alex. You were jealous of me," I realize.

"And you said you weren't into him, but you still let him fuck you!" she hisses at me.

Wow. So, her interest in me was just an act too. Vanessa’s feeling was right...

But this isn't really about me, it's about Marc and Alex.

"Tell me honestly: Are you even pregnant?" Alex asks her.

"No, she's not," Marc answers for her. "But she was going to pretend she lost the baby so she could cry on your shoulder."

"That's not true!" she snaps.

“You would have tried to sleep with Alex to get him to impregnate you. That way you would have had a reason to get close to him, and eventually he would have fallen in love with you. Out of necessity,” Marc blurts out angrily, then glances at Alex guiltily. “That's why I wanted you to leave.”

"So, you switched the USB so that..." Alex begins, but Marc immediately interrupts him.

I’m sick to my stomach.

"So, you would suspect her and fire her. Then you wouldn't have had a reason to stay anymore. Back in the US, you would have been far away. Far enough to…” Marc trails off, glancing desperately at Stephanie.

"Oh, come on, I would never have fallen in love with you!"

So that was a plan too.

Marc wanted Alex to leave so Stephanie would have no chance of Alex falling in love with her. The distance would have been too great. He probably hoped that she’d eventually forget about Alex and give him an honest chance. She could have followed him to the States, but she didn't consider that option. I wonder why...

"Why didn't you fly to the States?" I ask her, but Stephanie just huffs indignantly, clicks her tongue, and turns away.