"He did what? He's an asshole." River said furiously when I told her about how dinner went the previous night.
"I agree." I said. "But then it's not his fault."
She shook her head vehemently, "Oh no, you're not going to blame yourself for being set up to marry a disrespectful jerk."
"Maybe I'm being set up and forced on him because no one really wants to marry me." I muttered sadly.
"Aurora trust me, you are so beautiful, men would topple over each other for you. You just don't get out enough." River always said this. Sometimes I believed her, other times I didn't.
Being a homebody meant me not wanting to go out even if I had a chance to. In my case however, I did not get a chance to.
"There's no point now." I was slowly resigning to fate.
"Ohh," she tsked. "It's going to be alright." She came around and hugged me.
I nodded. I did not actually believe that but River liked to be positive and I just wanted to avoid another pep talk.
"He's kinda cute though." She said cheekily. Of course my 'FBI friend' had done a little research on him.
"Kinda?"
"Okay, okay, I was only trying to be respectful. He's hot!!!" She screeched, faking a melodramatic fall, and I found myself wheezing.
It was always a breath of fresh air to have her around.
~~~
In the next few days, I found out there was going to be an engagement party. I found it unnecessary but as we know, I did not have a say in anything.
I had a plethora of dresses but my mother insisted that I go shopping for the best of the best. I was aware that she in fact just wanted to impress Leo's mother. I told her I could make my own dress and even the wedding dress too but she refused vehemently.
"We need you to wear known brands so they'll know our family isn't cheap." She said, scolding me.
I swore to myself that I would own a 'known' brand that day, with no idea as to how I was going to achieve that with how I was about to be whisked off to marriage. I was still hopeful about my dreams regardless.
It was from one designer shop to another afterwards. Their dresses did not fit no matter how much we tried because their models were in smaller sizes, very unlike me. Mother wanted to sue them for lack of inclusivity but I dissuaded her from it, fighting hard to not slip into a mild depression at the realization that nothing was my size.
My weight loss journey had been futile for the most part because I always ran back to comfort foods whenever I was stressed. It was an unhealthy habit but I could not let go of it so easily.
"Tuck it in Aurora Lopez," My mother was agitated as she forced me into yet another dress. The engagement party was two days away and I was yet to find a dress so her anger was quite understandable.
I really should have insisted on making something for myself to avoid all these issues, but she would never listen to me whenever she was determined to show off in front of someone.
"Mother I can't breathe." I told her as she tightened the knots on the back of the laced up corset dress.
"It's just for a couple of hours you would not die." She gritted out, eyes focused on the corset.
"But,"
"Make sure you don't eat anything like junks until the engagement is over. In fact, you start intermittent fasting today. Gloria," she turned to her assistant.
"Ma'am."
"Tell the cook to curate vegetable meals for Aurora. Strictly fruits and vegetables no fats, got it?!"
"Yes ma'am."
I gasped. She was taking this way too far.
It took a bit longer but we eventually found something that worked for the engagement. A frilly burgundy lace dress that gave just the right amount of a bridal look. At least I did not have to wear a corset anymore and look like a bloated penguin.
~
On the night of the party, I had my face caked up with makeup by the MUA my mother had hired for the occasion. I typically went for something light when it came to makeup but they both insisted that I had to look like the bride which categorically meant shouty makeup. I could not even recognize myself when she was done.
I had to do a whole entry into the large living room where the party was being hosted. Guests swarmed left and right and I stared at the buffet table longingly, knowing fully well I was not allowed to go near it.
Then I spotted Leo. He was on the other side of the room, holding a glass of wine and looking bored with the whole affair. I looked away when he spotted me, forcing myself to socialize with the numerous guests that my parents and Leo's had invited.
When it was time to do what it was we were gathered for, I stepped forward shyly as Leo's father made a speech. I could hardly pay attention to what he said due to the fact that I was nervous and standing next to Leo with his cologne pestering my nose messed with my senses. Senator Adams did say something along the lines of our union being so special and unique and how he knew we would make the perfect couple from the first time he saw me. I almost laughed. It was how they were so desperately trying to sell that this was a love marriage that got me.
Soon the ring was brought forward and Leo slid it on my finger. He did not crack a smile at me, he simply did it with a blank face. But when it was time to face the cameras, he smiled widely and for the first time I totally swooned over it. When I saw the pictures a little while later, it was obvious that I was a goner with the way I stared up at him in admiration when he smiled.
"The wedding would be in two months." My father announced joyfully after the engagement and the applause increased.
I almost screamed out my frustration. Two months was such a short time to plan a wedding. It was going to be such a chore to get everything done in time. I also had a feeling that our mothers would never agree on anything so we needed more time to at least let them get along.
I stared at Leo for a bit and he stared back, unblinking, I looked away and walked off wanting to go to bed more than anything. But I decided to hang with River and my brother, Antonio, even as people still kept coming around to congratulate me.
Unfortunately, my dress ripped towards the end of the night but at least, it served its purpose although it was quite embarrassing to back out of the hall.
I sighed when I laid on my bed that night. It was finally done and over with. All I had to do was face the next hurdle - wedding planning.
"We are choosing a classic wedding theme." "That is too basic Lauren." Mother disagreed with a vigorous head shake.Leo's mother scoffed, "Rose Gold is childish. We have people of caliber attending." My mother's face contorted into a deep frown, "So do we."I sat still, eyes darting between both women as they argued. I wanted to melt into a puddle. They had been at this for the longest. One person always disagreeing with the other's opinion and I had to sit through it."Can we just let the planner get it done?" I squeaked and recoiled when they both turned to me with fierceness in their gazes."My husband is paying for the wedding. So I get to work with the planner." Mother said and I cringed because of how it sounded. It was not unusual for the bride's father to pay for the wedding but in this manner where it was part of their business deal, it was just embarrassing to mention."My husband can pay for two weddings at once so shush." Leo's mother was not having it.Neither was my mo
Our wedding night was a disaster. I had waited and waited for Leo in our 'matrimonial' bedroom, draped in a robe covering the scandalous lingerie my mother had picked up for me. I sat there, fidgeting the moment he walked in. How was I supposed to seduce a godlike man in such an unattractive body? How was he supposed to even want me when I looked like a sack of potatoes?Low self esteem you might think but I had to tell myself the truth that this was a futile attempt and there was no point in trying. "I'm not going to touch you. Don't even think about it cause it's never going to happen." He said, straight to the point."I don't want this either," I said as a tear escaped my right eye. I knew he was going to say that so I did not understand why that tear had to betray me."Good.""But-" I tried to say something but of course, he cut me off."There's no discussing this Aurora. Let's not force things." "Good night then," I laid on my side, back turned away from him. "Night."Maybe
"There's the newest husband in town."Rick was at my office the moment I walked in. I grunted at his tease. He was my best man and he never missed out on the opportunity to tease me about my unexpected union. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be on your honeymoon.""What honeymoon? We both know that's not happening." I let out a disgruntled sigh as I took off my jacket and placed it over my swivel chair."Come on man, I saw her, she's not that bad." He shrugged.I scowled, wondering what he meant by that. "How do you mean?" He shrugged again, "I mean you exaggerated how unattractive she looks. She's actually pretty, she just needs to shed all that weight.""I did not exaggerate anything. She's not my type and that's all there is to it. Don't you have work to get to?" I needed him to get out of my space. I had seen and heard enough of Aurora at home, there was no need for it to continue in the office.Thankfully he got the message and backed off, "I didn't mean to get you
"Hey Riv," I smiled tiredly into the phone, picking up after the third ring.Her smile faded as soon as she saw mine, "Why do you look so worn out?" "I just had so much unpacking to do." I lied."Unpacking? The Aurora I know would do it immediately. It's been days. Or is it the honeymoon?" She wiggled her brows suggestively at the last sentence.I chuckled, "There's no honeymoon." The truth is my mother in-law had given me a never-ending chore to clean up a dusty basement because in her opinion I wanted to busy myself so bad. I could not tell River that."Why not?" "Leo has some things to work on." I said. Leo, the same person I had hardly had a conversation with. She huffed, "I don't think I'm convinced. Is he treating you right?" I was reluctant to answer that. Was he treating me badly? Not exactly, he only was not talking to me, never smiled when I was in the room and sometimes ignored me when I spoke. That's not so bad right? I was being delusional with my thought process.
There was screaming downstairs. My ears perked up at that. I left my sketchbook and immediately stepped out, curious to know what the yells were about.My inquisitiveness made me find my way halfway down the stairs where I saw two slight brunette girls who looked very alike who were hugging my mother in-law. She smiled so widely as she engulfed them in her embrace one more time while I looked on almost longingly. Somehow I wished that she would ever hug me like that or at least smile at me.As I turned to head back up seeing that they were caught in their own bubble, I heard her call out to me. "Aurora?""Ma'am?" I answered. She had sternly instructed me to call her that and who was I to go against it? River asked me if she thought I was one of their employees and I just shrugged."These are Leo's cousins, Leah and Lira." She said, smiling in my direction for the first time."Hi..." I said with a small smile. "You're twins." I stated the obvious. They were so identical."Yes we are."
Leah was actually such a breath of fresh air. She eased me into a fluid and fun conversation. Even when I went quiet, she found a way to bring me back in.We talked until breakfast. I headed back to my room afterwards. But before lunch she was back at my door and we were talking again. I showed her my sketchbook without even realizing it."Your sketches are so pretty. Why haven't you started working on them?" She looked so amazed, you'd think Picasso showed her one of his masterpieces."I don't know..." I shrugged.How was I supposed to tell her that I was not sure if I was allowed to work? It had never been mentioned. No one seemed to be concerned about it and I did not know how to ask."You have a degree in fashion?" She asked me when she saw the photos on my social media page."Yes I do." I nod, picking at the hems of my shirt, wishing for my sewing kit that was all the way upstairs so I could fix it up."So you're free to practice..." It sounded more like a conclusion than a quest
"Dad, you asked for me?" I asked him the moment I got into his office. I was in the middle of an online meeting when he called for me to come up to his home office. "Yes son. I have an event to attend tonight and I'd like for you to represent me." He said. "Sure dad." I shrugged. I did this all the time for him so it was not unusual for him to ask me for such but what he said next threw me off. "You're taking Aurora with you," "What?" I wasn't sure I heard right. "She's always cooped up in the house, she needs to get out a little." "Dad, no." I shook my head. "I wasn't asking." He looked me straight in the eye when he said that. "But-" The words hung in my throat. The plain indignant expression he had on proved to me there was no room for further discussion. I stormed out of his office, banging the door behind me. I walked back to my bedroom. "We have a function to attend." I said when I saw her, straight to the point, clenching my jaw in anger because my father had compelle
I almost thought that the night would never end. Seeing my parents at the event was surprising yet not unexpected. They were social butterflies. I wished I did not attend. I felt so odd and awkward to be standing next to someone like Leo. I wondered if people knew I was his wife and if they did, I wondered what they thought about someone that looked like him marrying someone that looked like me. Speaking to his friend wasn't so bad. At least someone acted like I existed. Rick was funny and bubbly, very unlike his friend who was as cold as ice. It was always a miracle to see Leo crack a smile. He did not even smile at my parents. Oh God, it was so obvious. Why couldn't he just keep up the act like he did before we got married? When he said it was time to leave, I subtly let out a sigh of relief, glad that it was over and I did not have to continue to hide how awkward it felt to be out with him for the first time since our marriage. I found out later that this was his father's idea. In