Frugal: A Psychological Thriller
By
J. N. Wdowski
The Wedding
May had always believed in fairy tales. Her former college classmate Patricia was having the perfect fairy tale wedding. It was being held at the Whitby Castle at the Rye, New York, golf club. The “castle” was actually made with some of the original stones of Whitby Abby in England.
The ceremony was being held outside on a perfect June day. The grounds overlooked the Long Island sound’s dark blue waters that were dotted with the white sails of small yachts. Seagulls flew overhead as the wedding party gathered. The wedding party and guests all waited for the bride to make her entrance with her father.
May was the maid of honor. She was twenty-three years old, long legged, and shaped like a super model. All her sorority sisters had always teased her that she would be the first to marry an eighty year old billionaire. When he passed away in a year or two she would inherit his billions. Patricia had always insisted that May would marry a movie or pop star, divorce him in seven years, and take half his tens of millions.
May smiled to herself as she looked over to the groom Patricia was marrying; a Wall Street hedge fund manager worth a couple of million. He may not have the movie star looks they had all fantasized about as coeds, but he was not bad looking, and clearly hit the gym at least three to four times a week. Standing at below six feet tall, he was still tall enough for Patricia. Patricia joked that he had enough money that he could use a stack of hundreds to boost him the needed inch or two for him to meet her six-foot requirement.
Standing beside the groom was his best man. He had a touch of gray on his temples, stood easily at six feet even without the money boost. Like the groom he was dressed in a tuxedo and looked as if he too was worth a few million.
The best man caught May looking at him. His emerald green eye and perfect white teeth all smiled at her. May slightly blushed realizing he had caught her eyeing him.
The wedding march began and everyone’s eyes followed the long red carpet laid on the lawn to the entrance of the castle. Patricia on her father’s arm emerged from the building. Her ten-year-old cousin held up the train of her wedding dress. May had to admit that Patricia looked like a classic Disney Princess come to life. She was stunningly beautiful. All eyes were affixed on her. May oddly though glanced over to the groom; his eyes were smiling and locked onto the beauty of his bride-to-be. She sensed he had never been happier. She was happy for both of them.
Glancing at the groom she also noticed that his best man’s head was facing the bride approaching to the music, but his eyes were fixed on May. Again he smiled seeing her seeing him. May quickly turned her attention back to the bride and her father approaching with the music.
After the ceremony the wedding party retired to the reception area of the castle. May joined the main table with the newly joined Mr. and Mrs. Prager. She sat on the bride’s side of the long table overlooking the dozens of round white clothed tables. The hundreds of guests were enjoying their meals when the first man took his knife and gently hit his champagne glass to get everyone’s attention. The room turned towards him as he stood holding his glass of sparkling wine.
The groom and bride looked up at him smiling before he gave his toast, “Be kind, Mister Brighton.” The groom kidded him.
Mr. Brighton looked down at them with a shocked and innocent face, “When have I ever not been kind? I even hired you as a favor to your dad against my better judgment.”
The room gave a nervous chuckle.
Mister Brighton turned his attention back to the wedding guests and smiled, “I think we all know that Patricia is a wonderful woman.” He looked back at the couple. “Her ability to tame you and rope you in says much about her. Your parents know that they may have lost a son, but more importantly they have gained a daughter. Both of your parents have confided in me that when she does leave in four to five years, they will side with her and keep her as their daughter, as for you, they still have your brother for a son.”
The room laughed.
“So, let me keep this short. Let us all raise our glasses to wish that you both prove us wrong. That you are able to hold onto this beautiful woman and live happily ever after.” He raised his glass up to toast them along with everyone else in the hall.
May turned to the bride’s maid next to her, “Who is he?”
Mini, an openly lesbian sorority sister, worked in H.R. at the same company as the groom. She had introduced the couple to each other, “That’s Sean Brighton, You don’t know Sean Brighton?”
“Ah, no, should I?”
“He was on the cover of Forbes as the fastest self-made billionaire of 2028. He’s our boss. It is his hedge fund company.”
May’s ears perked, “Billionaire?”
“Yeah, classic rags to riches story. The man is frugal at dictionary definition levels.”
“I don’t understand.” May missed her point, also whispering not wanting the bride next to her to listen in on their conversation.
“He is wise with his money. Most value for the least investment.” Mini kept her voice low. “It is how he made his billions.”
“Is he single?” May became very interested.
“Yup, stories at the firm are he doesn’t even date.”
“He’s gay?”
Mini shrugged her shoulders, “No one knows. He’s never seen with men or women. The joke at the firm is he is a ‘monk of finance.’ He has a laser focus on building wealth; it is why his firm does so well. Those that invest with him, benefit greatly.”
“Oh,” May looked towards Sean and thought, “Never had a celibate monk.”
