Hotelier Ghost Tycoon

"Joan?" Rhodes asked in reflex. However, he took another look at the woman. She was not wearing the same wedding dress he held earlier. He also saw black hair peeking from the back ends of her veil. Joan was blonde. 

He stepped back. "You're not Joan."

"I can be Joan for you…" The woman turned to face him. She held a bouquet like a real bride. However, the flowers were all wilted and foul-smelling. She grabbed her veil and lifted it, showing off her almost decayed face. The makeup didn't make her grayed face and hollow eyes any prettier. "I can even be the love of your life! Marry me! Please marry me!"

Rhodes screamed and pushed the dead bride away from him. However, she avoided his arms. He crashed to the floor for the altar, and the dead bride charged at him. She grabbed his shoulders, her hands almost crushing his bones.

She screamed at his face. "Marry me! Marry me! No one has ever wanted to marry me! If I don't have a groom, I'll steal one! You're mine now! You're mine!"

"Get away from me!" Rhodes screamed back, his voice growing louder than her screeching. Regardless of how strongly he pushed her, the dead bride wouldn't let go. Tears lined his eyes. His terror reached its peak, and the only thing louder than his screams was the sound of his pounding heart.

"I object!" A clear and crisp voice of a man yelled from far away. The dead bride stopped trying to eat Rhodes's face and glared at the newcomer. Even Rhodes turned to see who had invaded the haunting.

Standing by the church's wide-open doors was a tall man with an elegant style. He wore a black fedora that matched his suit. The red crystal head of his cane matched the color of his tie and cufflinks. He strode along the aisle with an air of bone-deep reverence and awe. Even Rhodes couldn't take his eyes off the newcomer coming to his rescue.

The tall man stopped halfway through the aisle and pointed his cane's head at the altar. He chuckled. "I object to this wedding! The groom is held against his will! This is not love—this is a kidnapping!"

"Shut up! He's mine!" The dead bride screeched and attacked the newcomer. What stunned Rhodes was that her dress turned black and tattered as if left in mud and tar for so long. Her hands also turned into sharp bones that pierced through the dirty lace gloves.

"I object to that statement again." The tall man smirked at the charging dead bride. He lifted his chin a little, letting Rhodes see those dangerously glinting eyes of blood and ruby.

His cane slipped back into a perfect hold, and he hit the floor with its tip. A strange gust rose and circulated him. When the dead bride got close enough, the gust exploded outward and shredded her into pieces. Like a burnt paper flying away from the fire, she was instantly turned to dust. Everything happened within a second, and Rhodes didn't know how to react.

The tall man looked at Rhodes again. This time, nothing impeded their gazes. The tall man smiled and motioned to move forward. However, his image vanished from Rhodes's vision. Rhodes looked around, only to find no one. A hand then reached from behind and pulled him up by the upper arm.

Rhodes turned and was left face to face with the smiling tall man. His red eyes glinted with interest.

"…did I scare you?" The tall man asked, letting Rhodes relax into sitting on his legs. He chuckled. "It's normal to happen, but they've never been this desperate. I hope you're not hurt."

"What… are you?" Rhodes forced words out of his mouth, but the tall man only lowered himself to a knee before Rhodes. He put down the cane and leaned closer, pulling Rhodes by the arm again. Rhodes's eyes grew wide, but the tall man used his other hand to rub Rhodes's cheek.

Blink. Rhodes felt like he could stare at this person for eternity. His features were exquisite, and Rhodes began to feel a hint of shyness after staring at the man's face in a daze.

The tall man tilted his head to the other side and chuckled. He used a thumb to rub Rhodes's bottom lip. He whispered, "Say your line."

Rhodes didn't know what that meant. However, he began to faintly hear Lionel's voice as if he was returning to reality. His hands itched to reach out and grab the tall man, but the white wedding dress occupied them. With a slight blush, Rhodes flattened his lips before saying…

"I do."

Tick! Rhodes felt time stopped when the tall man leaned close to kiss him. It was not too quick to not leave coldness in his lips; neither was it too long for it to sink in. Tock! Before Rhodes knew it, he could see Lionel's dismayed person before him again. The wedding dress occupied his arms, and the faint chatter of the guests resounded from the back.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife…" Lionel's voice still had no life in it. He was itching to get angry but didn't want to spit on Rhodes in front of a hundred guests. However, his voice got caught in his throat when he saw Rhodes exploding into a ball of shyness. The groom even brought his head down to hide his face using the wedding dress.

"What was that…?" The officiant looked more pissed. What was happening to his conquest-slash-best-friend? Why would Rhodes blush now?

Rhodes's head was in a mess in an instant. He didn't know what he saw for real, but he surely felt that kiss in his mouth. It was nothing compared to Lionel's forceful kissing. The tall man's lips were cold, but the warmth that channeled throughout Rhodes's body was no joke. He couldn't help but shrink and calm down while curling against Joan's dress.

From behind, it looked more like Rhodes was kissing the dress instead. This movement caused the other guests to reach their threshold. One of the old lovers got up and cursed Rhodes out! He threw in countless profanities to express his scorn toward the man on the altar. Some older males followed it.

The Wester family and the Coles family—to which Rhodes's mother belonged—were big families in the eyes of the people. This wedding had a guest list of one hundred most influential people in the financial world and the academe. This kind of ceremony was the most ridiculous. They only allowed it to reach the end as a sign of respect to the late Professor Wester.

"…Rhodes…" Lionel crumpled the marriage certificates on the podium. "Why are you making that face? Do you think this is…? Get off the altar before someone starts throwing things at you."

"…yeah…" Rhodes cleared his face and rose with the wedding dress. He looked over his shoulder to see the guests leaving with angry faces. Mrs. Wester glared at him from the first row with her chin up as if proud. It looked like she had accomplished something.