The Temporary Bride - Chapter 1 - Story excerpt

Aug 7, 2026

A debuting narrator attends a lavish Primetime Information Awards gala where the sponsor and media titans celebrate the “information age.” While networking with her family’s circle, she endures scripted speeches and prepares for her father’s lifetime achievement award. As the program honors Julian Thorne onstage, family tensions surface through sharp asides and restrained reactions. The chapter establishes satirical industry commentary, social pressure, and the narrator’s uneasy anticipation of what comes next after the award presentation begins.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages391

Reading Time10 h 2 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

Tristan

Chloe

Epilogue

Epilogue Two

Books by Nikki Lawson

Chapter 1

The Temporary Bride [Oc](OceanofPDF.com)[eanof](OceanofPDF.com)[PDF.c](OceanofPDF.com)[o](OceanofPDF.com)[m](OceanofPDF.com) Copyright © 2026 by Nikki Lawson. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author ’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. For More Information: [nikkilawsonauthor.com](nikkilawsonauthor.com) For updates on new releases, giveaways, and other fun stuff, sign up for my newsletter! [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) Contents 1. Tristan 2. Chloe 3. Tristan 4. Chloe 5. Tristan 6. Chloe 7. Tristan 8. Tristan 9. Chloe 10. Tristan 11. Chloe 12. Tristan 13. Chloe 14. Tristan 15. Chloe 16. Tristan 17. Chloe 18. Tristan 19. Chloe 20. Tristan 21. Chloe 22. Tristan 23. Tristan 24. Chloe 25. Tristan 26. Chloe 27. Chloe 28. Tristan 29. Chloe 30. Tristan 31. Chloe 32. Tristan 33. Chloe 34. Tristan 35. Chloe 36. Tristan 37. Tristan 38. Chloe 39. Chloe 40. Chloe 41. Tristan 42. Chloe 43. Tristan 44. Chloe 45. Tristan 46. Chloe 47. Tristan 48. Chloe 49. Tristan 50. Chloe 51. Tristan 52. Chloe 53. Tristan 54. Chloe 55. Tristan Epilogue Epilogue Two Books by Nikki Lawson [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) For all the delulu girlies who set the bar at “gorgeous, 6’3” billionaire with a filthy mouth and a possessive streak.” Leave that bar right where it is… Because Tristan Thorne is about to ruin you. [OceanofPDF.com](OceanofPDF.com) Chapter 1 I’ve never been a fan of crystal. Unfortunately, among the people I most often rub shoulders with—or at least their interior decorators—this is apparently a rare opinion. The ballroom housing the annual Primetime Information Awards is decked out in the stuff, from the sconces lining the red-velvet walls to the glittering chandeliers overhead. I sit at my family’s designated table, foot tapping under the cover of the white tablecloth, and stare at the scattered light the cut crystals throw across the ceiling while the evening’s host drones on from center stage about the industry’s importance. These galas are rarely entertaining, and this one is no exception. “Tonight, we find ourselves surrounded by the pioneers of the information age, the people who have spent their lives making the news of the world more accessible to all. Without their tireless efforts ” I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Without their tireless efforts, and so on and so forth. I’ve heard some version of this speech at least a dozen times. I’ve been schmoozing with Thorne Enterprises’ partners all night, pretending to be part of a close-knit family. Although I don’t particularly enjoy either task, I’m good enough at both to get by. All I have to do now is sit through the presentation of my father ’s lifetime achievement award, survive another couple hours of networking, and then I can go home. On stage, the host presses on, lips too close to the microphone.“Of course, among all titans, there are those who stand tallest. Tonight, we are here to recognize the accomplishments of a giant in this industry, a man whose name has become synonymous with not only news, but media.” Here we go. I pick up my whiskey and take a slow sip. The irritating part is almost over. “The winner of this year ’s award hardly requires an introduction,” the host continues,“but nonetheless, we ought to take a moment to reflect on his impressive resume. The CEO of the country’s largest media conglomerate for four successive decades, he has revolutionized the landsca

FAQs

What setting and event does the first chapter introduce?

The narrator attends the Primetime Information Awards gala, hosted in a ballroom filled with crystal décor and media-industry pageantry.

What is the narrator’s main immediate goal during the event?

She plans to survive the award presentation and further networking before going home, even though she dislikes the evening’s scripted formalities.

Who receives the lifetime achievement award mentioned in the chapter?

The host announces the winner as Julian Thorne, the CEO of the country’s largest media conglomerate.

Aug 7, 2026

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