Page 123 of His Wicked Revenge

“For those who don’t know, my name is Leo. I’m Myles's best friend, but I am also Chloe’s older brother. This means that, technically, I will be making two speeches tonight. Chloe.” I go to look at my sister but catch a glimpse of Myles, whose jaw is dropped. I pat him on the shoulder and shrug. “Sorry, man. Chloe will always be put first. Remember that.”

There is a light chuckle in the crowd, and Myles nods in understanding. I give my attention to my sister. Her eyes are already shining as she holds back the tears.

“Chloe and I have always been close. We bickered like siblings did, but we never got into a fight. When I was young, I didn’t have many friends in school. At first, it made me sad, but then I realized it didn’t matter because I had one friend who would always love me no matter what. A best friend. And that is what Chloe is. Again, sorry, Myles.” The guests laugh again, and Myles smiles. “She was and still is my best friend. No matter what either of us goes through, whether good or bad, we are there for each other. No matter what curveballs life throws, we deal with it together.”

I push back the tears, threatening to escape because what I’m about to say next will make all of us want to cry.

“Three years ago, our mother passed away. Before she left us, she talked about the two of you. She had told me that she only wanted you and me to be happy and loved. She knew you were on track because she saw the love between you and Myles.” I blink, allowing my eyes to remain shut to gather myself, but when I do, I see my mother lying in her bed, looking frail but still wearing that warm smile she always had on her face. Opening my eyes, they fall to where Myles and Chloe are now holding hands.

“She would be so proud of you both for following your hearts. Myles, my mother told me she couldn’t think of anyone better for Chloe and Carter. I couldn’t agree more. Knowing you for so long, I’ve come to know your heart. You are the best guy and friend anyone could ask for. Even though you are a pain in the ass sometimes, I wouldn’t trade you for anyone in the world. You treat my sister with so much love and respect; that is all I could ask for. You treat Carter like your own son, and I know you will be the best father to this little girl.”

“Growing up, we idolized our parents—not only for the way they treated us but also because of the way they treated each other. For those of you in here tonight who knew my parents, you know how much love they held for each other.” I face the crowd, searching for my dad. He sits at the table closest to us, listening to me with watery eyes and a loving smile. I return the gesture before turning back to Myles and Chloe.

“I knew one day you’d find someone who would treat you like Dad treated Mom, and I hope to find someone with a heart full of love just like our mother. She may not be here physically to celebrate us, but know she loved you so much. She would be proud of you both.” I raise my glass, sparing a glance at Veronica, who is hanging onto every word I’ve said. “So to my best friends, I wish you unconditional love and happiness for the rest of your lives. I love you guys.”

The crowd erupts in applause, and Chloe shoots out of her chair to hug me. Her arms wrap tightly around my neck.

Sniffling, she says, “I love you, too.” I kiss the top of her head and embrace Myles.

Once they sit back down, the DJ takes the microphone from me and hands it to Sylvia. Veronica is the Maid of Honor, but she told Chloe she would not be making a speech.

I take my seat and drown out the annoying voice of Chloe’s shitty friend. I don’t care to hear what she has to say. After finding out about the bachelorette party she planned, I liked her even less than I had before.

My finger taps lightly on the table, and I concentrate on that while she rambles. Some bullshit is probably spewing out of her mouth since she hasn’t been a friend to my sister. The only true friend my sister thinks she has is Veronica, and that whole thing is a lie. My thoughts wander to Veronica while Sylvia spews on and on. I have a plan in my head.

It’s crazy.

It’s not crazy. It’s what needs to be done.

I crack my neck, and the voice disappears. It makes me feel insane just thinking about what I need to do, but every time the memories of what she did to me flood my mind and the voices that creep in, this plan is the only possible outcome.

I just have to be strong enough to see it through.

You are strong enough, and you will see it through.

Fuck, I need that drink.

Thankfully, Sylvia keeps her speech short and sweet. The DJ grabs the mic from her and is about to head back to his booth. I stand up from my seat and head to the bar, but I stop when I see Carter step in the man’s way.

His little mouth moves, and the DJ nods and hands him the mic. My head whips to Chloe to see if she notices, and she does. Her brows dip in confusion as Carter stands in front of the table right before Chloe. All the people stop talking and tune in to the nine-year-old boy who has the floor.

“Uhm… Hi.” He waves a hand halfway in the air. “My name is Carter, and this”—he gestures to Chloe—“is my mom. She didn’t know I would talk, but I wanted to surprise her.”

His eyes meet hers again, and she nods for him to keep going.

“She is the best mom in the world.” His voice squeaks a bit, but he continues, “When I’m sick, she takes care of me. She makes me soup and cuddles with me even if it means she gets sick. When I’m sad, she holds me until I feel better. When I’m happy, she’s happy. I’m so lucky to have a mom like her. A mom who loves me with all of her heart and does whatever she can to make sure I have a good life.”

Tears fall from my eyes, and I want to look at my sister, but I can’t take my eyes off Carter.

He inhales a deep breath before he goes on. “I’ve missed out on having a dad. He wasn’t there to teach me how to ride a bike. He never played catch with me while I stayed at his house. He didn’t do the things that a dad should do with his kid.” Carter blinks rapidly, tears trickling down his face.

My hand blindly finds Myles’s hand, and I squeeze it in comfort.

“That is why I’m lucky that Myles is in my life. He started to do all the things my mom did when I was sick and upset. He took care of me.” He sniffles, his mouth twisting to keep from crying. “With him marrying my mom, I will finally know what having a dad is like again.”He turns around, facing Myles and Chloe. “Thank you for making my mom as happy as she makes me. I can’t wait for all four of us to be a family forever.”

Carter drops the microphone on the table and rushes to Chloe and Myles. They huddle together in a hug, and you can hear all three crying.

Hell, you can hear everyone in the room crying from that speech. Carter has always been bright for his age. More advanced than other nine-year-old kids. I wasn’t expecting him to twist everyone’s hearts.