Left Him At The Altar

Laura POV

My name is Laura Wesley , the most influential business lady in New York City. Today is the big day of my life, I am hours away from being the wife of the most charming billionaire in the city, Gerard Oceans. 

Everything was perfect, the wedding venues were decorated the previous night, Gerard even assigned a security team to watch over the place at night. 

The best makeup artist in the whole of North America was working on my face, and I was nervous and anxious. I still couldn't believe my wedding day was now a reality, after all the struggle that I went through trying to find good love. 

There was a time when I gave up on love, I didn't want anything to do with it. I just wanted to make money and spoil myself together with my friends. I never imagined myself in a relationship, much worse walking down the aisle. 

I smirk exhaling a portion of my anxiety, looking back at how we met I couldn't help wearing a smile that disturbed Valeria, the makeup artist.

"Sorry, am a bit anxious this my first time. I feel overwhelmed." I apologize for my sudden movements. 

She just chuckled and got back to looking at my face like a canvas. 

"I can see you're so excited, seems like you found the right one." She said taking a distant look of my face. 

"Yes I am very happy, baeb is everything I ever wanted, handsome, tall, rich and very charming like he gets paid for it." I bragged about my fiancée feeling good as I describe him. 

"He sounds like a movie character to me." Her reply chuckled me. 

"What do you mean?" I asked making her pause from painting my face.

"The idea of him being perfect for you is so unrealistic. Its a normal in romantic movies, but real life is different. Every man needs to have flaw that gets on your nerves. And it is through the same flaw that you learn how to love him." Valeria's words had me lost in my thoughts.

Am I ready for Gerard's dark side? Will I be able to love him, through his flaws?

I went silent for a while, Valeria's words gave me some food for thought. 

"He also has his flaws but his good side makes up for his flaws, so I barely notice them." I faked a smile, hoping my nightmares never happen. 

"That's sweet, but be careful, don't be too comfortable, it might end up blinding you from seeing his obvious flaws." She said moving back to review her work. 

We talked for a while as she was beautifying my face. A few hours later we were at the church building. My anxiety was getting worse, I had to take some shots of white wine to help me calm a bit. 

"You're doing fine darling, avoid trying to process everything just enjoy the moment you'll have the time to process everything properly when its done. For now just focus on enjoying the moment."

My favourite person was there to support me. Metor held my hand encouraging me, she noticed my agitation getting worse. I tightened my grip on her hand. 

I really thank God for her, she has always been there for me, she helps me become a better person. And when I start going astray she doesn't hesitate to tell me off.

The musicians started playing the music to welcome the bridal trail. The girls got out of the car to go make their entrance. I remained along in the back of the SUV. 

"Focus on enjoying the moment sweetheart." Metor reminded me before leaving. 

Am not going to regret anything. Am not making a mistake. I sigh discarding the negative thoughts that crossed my mind. Gerard is a good man that loves me, and we are going to be happily married. I thought out loud reminding myself what am hoping for. The thoughts had slowly started making me catch cold feet.  

The bride's entrance tune played and I saw uncle Henry coming to the car with the matron. I exhaled heavily composing myself. 

"Time to go and make dad proud, he is watching everything with a wide smile on his face." Uncle Henry took my hand helping me out of the car. 

The matron carried the long tail of my dress as we walked to the church building. We walked in the church with my arm locked in Uncle Henry's. 

The church was crowded, every seat was taken even the back seats were occupied. Every eye was on us as we walked to the altar. I kept myself together acting all cool and nonchalant, while deep down I was shaking inside my dress. 

Don't marry him, Gerard is just pretending, he is more abusive than Antonio. A familiar negative thought crossed my mind as I walked to the altar. 

Uncle Henry handed me over to Gerard at the altar. His soft hand holding mine felt good. He walked me to the pulpit. The short walk felt like forever knowing that everyone is staring at us. 

Wish we'll walk like this for the rest of our lives. Holding each other's hands. I tightened my grip smiling at him. I never want to lose him. Not for anything. He smiled back tightening his grip as well. My heart warmed up feeling loved. 

Don't do this, he is going get abusive once he marries you. The thought got stronger making me exhale deeply. 

"Are you alright?" He whispered, concerned. 

His voice is soft and the compassion is evident on his face. He cares for me. I still don't get why I keep getting the nagging thought that he is abusive. 

Minutes later the preacher was done with the speech, it was now time for the big moment. I was glad the speech was over, my feet were starting to hurt from standing for long. 

"If there is anyone in here that is not in support of the union of this couple. Let them speak now or forever hold their peace." 

I felt my stomach burn, my heart got heavy, the negative thoughts cried out loud in my head. My sight started getting a bit blurred, I was feeling a bit nauseous. 

Enjoy the moment, Laura, enjoy the moment. I closed my eyes taking a deep breathe to compose myself. 

The preacher proceeded to the wedding vows. Gerard held my hand smiling at me. I felt soothed by his touch. I forced a smile while battling thoughts. 

I still don't get where the negative thoughts are coming from. Gerard is a good partner, he loves me with more than money, he challenges me to hustle harder, and also comforts me when I have a rough day. Mum and my friends love him, I wonder what's wrong with him. 

He sounds like a movie character to me. The idea of him being perfect sounds unrealistic to me. The words played in my mind as though someone was replying me. 

I smirked disguising the frown I had underneath my face. He is possessive with what he loves.

I noticed he is insecure with me, he is scared of losing me to anything. Lately he has been overprotective of me. He has been trying to dictate everything I do and I find it irritating, but its not like it is something I can't handle. I've been through worse relationships. 

I can handle his insecurity. I exhaled feeling confident about my decision. Am going to marry Gerard Oceans and nothing is going to stop me. I get back to living in the moment only to find Gerard preparing himself to start saying his wedding vows. 

"Mum used to tell me that a lady who has a price tag for her love is affordable. It doesn't matter the figure she mentions, so long her price is a currency, she is affordable.

In all my searching, I've come to believe that mum was right. A noble woman is priceless her heart can never be bought with dollar notes, not even a ton of British pounds can move her. 

Such a woman is only bought with virtue, she can only be possessed by a man of integrity. A man who loves her with all he has, a man who is willing to give up everything he has for her sake. 

Before I met you I used to think, I could buy love with my money, and I did buy counterfeit love that left me longing for more. And thanks to that thirst, I met your love that changed my heart. 

I now work harder for a beautiful reason, I see your face on every dollar note I get. For the past two years I've learnt that love is treating someone else's heart as a precious jewel entrusted to you.

Today I want to let the world know that my heart belongs to you, Laura, I am devoting myself and everything I have to see you happy and good.

For as long as my heart beats, you'll always be my reason for being happy..." My cheeks were turning red, and I was smiling happily, Gerard's vows are so overwhelming I feel fluttered, my heart is melting, the emotions rushing through my body were getting out of hand. 

"I love you baeb." I whispered as he was done with his vows and he was now putting the ring on my finger. 

My gaze kept on switching between staring at my hand and adoring his handsome face that was focus on slowly pushing the ring through my finger. 

For a second I was enjoying the moment like Metor had told me. My heart was light and happy, it was as though the ring chased away all the negative thoughts. 

The spot light focused on me as I was still enjoying the moment. It was now my turn to say my vows and wear him the ring. The matron handed me the ring then I felt the dark energy creeping back into my heart. 

The flashback appeared vividly, I paused without realizing. The moments played like images on a movie reel. Anxiety was taking over, my hands were shaking, tears were dancing in my eyes, my heart was swimming in fear.  

Can someone please make it stop, am tired of seeing this nightmare, it has been haunting me for months now. 

A few days ago, I had a horrible nightmare that ruined my sleep, I didn't want to tell anyone about it. Even if I did they were probably going to think am just paranoid and that's why am having crazy dreams. 

Thinking about the possibilities of it happening gave me some shivers, so I decided to avoid thinking about it. 

I managed to go about my days without thinking about that nightmare. I almost forgot about it, I was just constantly troubled by the thought that Gerard will some day become abusive and possessive of me. 

I have been able to deal with the nagging thoughts using some positive affirmations that countered the negative thoughts but the premonition was very terrifying. I saw my body laying in a blood pool.   

I wanted to say an affirmation to fight the flashbacks of the nightmare but it was all in vain. The moment won't stop replaying, and I felt tears rolling down my face. 

Seeing myself on the floor in a blood pool, squeezed out all the hope from my heart. My cheeks turned pale as a sheet as though they were not red just a moment ago. 

My fingers lost grip of the ring in my hands. It fell to the ground snapping me back to reality only to be met with overwhelming embarrassment. 

Gerard was looking at me with worry written all over his face tears begging to leave his eyes, just a little hurt and he was also going to shed them out. 

I looked into his eyes looking for hope or strength, anything to keep me going. I wanted to see the goodness inside his eyes just one more time. But I was met with different eyes. 

His eyes turned dark, they became shiny with a scary dark shadow round them. They resembled the bloodthirsty eyes that I saw in my premonition when he was staring at my dead body with regret and a smirk. 

"If you're not mine, there no one else is going to have you."

I shake my head with my eyes closed hoping this is all a dream. "This is not real, I am just having another bad dream. This is not really happening."

I heard the crowd murmuring and gossiping, some are laughing, relishing on my confusion. I opened my eyes realizing that it is actually happening, I am wrecking my own wedding. 

"Sorry baeb, I can't do this." I ran out of the church crying. 

Mum and Metor followed me outside running. Tears rolling down my face I ran to the toilet. So I can cry out my sorrow.  

The toilet was quiet and lonely just how it needed to be. I was silently crying in front of the mirror talking to my reflection.

How the fuck didn't you see it coming? Your relationships never workout no matter what you do. They always find a way of falling apart, sometimes its your fault, sometimes it isn't. 

You really tried your best to pull it off with this one. You even reached the altar. That was really brave of you. I should really congratulate you for keeping a relationship smooth for so long.

A sarcastic voice in my head ridiculed me. 

"Guess am just supposed to die single." I chuckle wiping out the tears off my face. 

I take a deep breathe composing myself but a few more tears were rolling down my face. Gerard really had my heart melting, he had me believing in love again, something I never saw myself doing, much worse standing at the altar dressed like am some Disney fairytale princess. 

"Think I should go back to hustling my ass off like I used to before Gerard walked into my life. I don't know how he is going to react but I think this is end for us." I wiped the drying tears walking out of the toilet.