"You look very beautiful," Celine compliments behind me as she slowly caresses my shoulder, lowering her head with her cheeks brushing against mine.
Our eyes meet in the mirror, and she flashes a quick smile at me. I quickly shift my gaze away, her touch feeling disgusting, and her presence alone makes anger surge within me."Are you guys ready?" Emelia's voice finally saves me from this demon, and Celine chuckles and then heads out of the waiting room.My fists tighten as I watch her leave, as today is supposed to be my happiest day, but I can't find a single bit of happiness thanks to her.My mind doesn't want to go through with this wedding, but I know the embarrassment, insults, and disappointment my family would face if I break it off. Fiona's marriage crumbled after six months, and I saw what she went through when she divorced. Not only her, but what my entire family went through when she moved back home, and opting for such an option will bring me nothing but such a fate.With Emelia here, I feel the urge to tell her the truth. Emelia, Caroline, Jessica, and Katherine have been my best friends since high school days, and we always share everything with each other.Emelia and I work at the same gallery, Caroline is a model; well.. not a popular one but she's still good at her job, Jessica is a full housewife with a crazy husband while Katherine is a secretary at one… company; just company.We’re all struggling out here and hoping for a miracle to happen one day because we do experience hell at work, and every day we all have one or two bad things to tell.After narrating what I saw yesterday to her, Emelia just keeps staring at me with her mouth wide open, seeming lost for words.“Emelia?” I call her, hoping for her to say something, but her expression quickly changes to anger."Ariel, are you stupid? How could you even consider marrying the man who cheats on you with your own sister? Are you blinded by love? Do you think pretending not to know and going through with this wedding will make him stop cheating on you even after the marriage? Can't you see what Jessica is going through, all for the sake of this damn marriage?" Emelia finally finds her voice and throws different questions at me.Wow, that's just like her…“What else do you want me to do? Do you think my family will be happy after finding out what happened? Hell no, because they contributed most of their savings to make this grand wedding happen so people would talk about my wedding and not Fiona's divorce again. I really didn't want to disappoint them, and that's why I'm right here," I reply, as tears well up.She moves closer to me, bends down in front of me, and holds my hand, looking into my eyes. She says,"Ariel, I want you to think about this very carefully and make the best decision for yourself so you won't regret it in the future. Once you enter this crazy marriage, it’ll be really difficult to leave. Think about what Jessica’s going through, do you want to go through such a thing? For a guy that cheats on you despite giving him all, including your virginity? Trust me babe, he’ll never be committed to you again and so, we have to call this off immediately,”Her words seem right but I just can't do it. I remove my hand from hers, “No, I can't.”“Why? Are you going to sacrifice your own happiness just for the sake of your family? The Ariel I know is far better than this; you are too good for him.” She vents out in anger as she stands up and moves away.“ You know what, I’m going out there now, and I will expose that bastard to the entire guest and your family. I won't allow you to ruin your life just like Jessica did,” she concludes, then makes an attempt to leave the room.I try to stop her, but she insists on going.“Why are you trying to ruin my wedding, it’s mine and not yours? It’s not as if you have gone through one or even have a single man in your life, so how do you know if I'm making the right decision or not?” I angrily burst out, already feeling frustrated.As those words leave my lips, regret follows. What have I done? I can see that Emilia’s hurt by my harsh words.“Ariel, I'm just trying to help. How could you say such words to me?”“ I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean that” I quickly apologize, trying to explain to her that I really didn't mean that but just wanted to stop her from doing what she said.Her words seem right, but I just can't do it. I remove my hand from hers, “No, I can't.”“Why? Are you going to sacrifice your own happiness just for the sake of your family? The Ariel I know is far better than this; you are too good for him.” She vents out in anger as she stands up and moves away.“You know what, I’m going out there now, and I will expose that bastard to the entire guest and your family. I won't allow you to ruin your life just like Jessica did,” she concludes, then makes an attempt to leave the room. I try to stop her, but she insists on going.“Why are you trying to ruin my wedding, it’s mine and not yours? It’s not as if you have gone through one or even have a single man in your life, so how do you know if I'm making the right decision or not?” I angrily burst out, already feeling frustrated.As those words leave my lips, regret follows. What have I done? I can see that Emilia’s hurt by my harsh words.“Ariel, I'm just trying to help. How could you say such words to me?”“ I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean that,” I quickly apologize, trying to explain to her that I really didn't mean that but just wanted to stop her from doing what she said.I stand up from my seat and try to move closer to her, but she moves away from me and rushes out. As I want to go after her, dad comes in and tells me it’s time to go in.Finally, it's time for me to enter, and I hold my dad's hand as he walks me down the aisle. I see my family smiling at me, grandma using a handkerchief to wipe her tears, and my two friends, Caroline and Katherine, waving at me, while Emelia, who is my best lady, is missing.I drift into deep thoughts, remembering all that Emelia had said. But I'm brought back to reality by Aiden's voice."Ariel, you need to answer the priest," he whispers to me. The priest asks me again, "I will ask again, do you, Ariel Aldridge, take Aiden Wells, to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do you part?"I look back at my parents, then my friends, and then at Aiden who is eagerly waiting for my response. But I can't go through with it, all I can see now is a cheater and not the man I once loved. I decide to make the bold decision because I know deep down that forcing myself into this marriage would only lead to turmoil. So, with resolve, I reply to the priest,"No, I don't."Instantly, rumors fill the hall, swirling around like a storm.Turning to Aiden,“And I’m not sorry for this,” I tell him bluntly, then remove my veil, give him a hard slap, as he wanted to say something again, another one lands on his right cheek, and then I run out of the hall.I can't run very well with my heels, so I take them off and then start running on my two legs and head to the gate. Finally, I see Emelia talking to the security who refused to let her back in, and I shout her name.“Emeliaaa…”We both wave at each other, and I quickly rush into her arms and give her a tight hug.“I’m very sorry, I really shouldn't have said such words to you,” I apologize to her.“No, I should be the one apologizing. I shouldn't have left you there when I'm obviously your best lady,” she also apologizes, and we both chuckle.“I'm not going through with it. I'm not going to end up like Jessica, and I think I’ll never regret this decision,” I say firmly.“Welcome to the world of the singles,” she opens her arms wide once again and I hug her and we both burst into another laughter.“It seems like the two of you already have everything planned out, leaving us in the dark,” Caroline’s voice emerges from behind.Turning back, I apologize to her.“You don't have to apologize, dear, because I'm sure you have your reasons,” Katherine replies, giving me a reassuring smile and I also pull them into a hug.“So what's next now?” Caroline asks, disengaging from the hug, and we all head to Emelia's house.“Maybe it’s because of the recent events at my wedding,” I guess because I don't even know why the reporters are here.“At least, I am able to escape from them, that's good enough,” I let out a small sigh of relief and then make my way to Emelia's house, bursting through the door.“You guys won't believe…..” I pause when I notice the somber expressions on their faces.Sensing something amiss, I ask, only to have Katherine wordlessly hand me a laptop. My heart sinks as I stare at the screen, and I can't believe what I'm seeing right now. There, plastered across the internet, is a photo of me with a damning caption:"The Mayfair's Heir's Dirty Secret.""I understand now why the reporters are here, so he is a rich guy?" I share with them, but they continue to give me puzzled looks."Please, don't act strange. I'm already facing a new problem without resolving the old one," I explain to them, recounting how the reporters unexpectedly intruded on my privacy and then threatened to sue them a
CELINE'S POVI slam the laptop shut as I see the news of Ariel getting married to Alexandra. I had thought her life would be ruined if I succeeded in stealing her man, but now she’s found something even better.I know she catches a glimpse of us together, but I'm taken aback when she still chooses to proceed with the wedding. However, my satisfaction soars immediately she slaps Aiden at the altar and runs away. My delight grows even more upon seeing a photo of her in a hotel with another man; it seems she has finally met her downfall. Little do I know that the man is Alexander Mayfair, the very man I have been trying to win over, only for her to steal him away from me once again.It later dawns on me that I have unknowingly orchestrated this twist of events by sending reporters there, trying to make a headline of a woman who abandons her husband at the altar and goes to the hotel with another man."Why does everything good thing belong to her?!" I yell in frustration, unable to contain
KILLIAN'S POVI'm in the middle of a phone call when I hear commotion outside. Hastily, I head outside to investigate and find a man throwing a fit. He claims to be the bride's boyfriend and insists on delivering a message and an item to her.“How about I help you give it to the bride instead,” I suggest and he hesitates for a minute before finally agreeing. He gives me a flash drive, and I inform him to wait for me while I deliver his message.I quickly rush to relay the situation to Alex, and we make our way outside to uncover the contents of the flash drive. The video depicts a woman surreptitiously spiking his drink before luring him to a bedroom, where she then undresses, climbs on top of him, and begins to simulate intimate sounds. Just as the scene unfolds, Ariel enters the room and sees them.“Destroy it and make sure you clear him away before we reach outside,” Alex orders, and I ask him why he didn't inform his wife before taking such a step."Do you think someone who ran awa
ARIEL'S POV"You're tricked me! How could you add such a clause and have it written in such tiny words that I can't even see with my bare eyes? It's absurd and I'm being scammed," I fire at him angrily, but he only keeps laughing, and in anger, I squeeze the contract and quickly rip it into pieces, throwing it to the floor and stomping my feet on it."Wow... Do you think I'm a fool to give you the original copy? That's a fake one, and honey, or should I say sweetheart, you are free to file for divorce, but you must be prepared to pay that money. Do you have any idea how many lawyers are dying to pick up my divorce case? I doubt you will actually get any because they will be scared out of their ass to even pick a fight against me," he says, grinning. "Oh, I heard you are a curator at some nameless gallery. Do they pay you much? How exactly are you going to get that amount of money?" he teases, stands up, and then proceeds into his room. "By the way, I want Korean cuisine for breakfast.
WILLIAM'S POV"I stand by my grandfather's side as he watches the news of a protest going on in front of our headquarters. I can't help but feel a sense of satisfaction that this troublemaker has finally found himself in hot water, which is potentially going to benefit me."Turn it off," my grandfather orders Julius, his secretary, who promptly switches off the television."I believe we need to devise a solution promptly as this situation is already tarnishing the reputation of our company, and our stock values are declining," I propose."How about we suggest that Alex takes a temporary leave from the company until things settle down? It might be the best course of action for now," I suggest, hoping my grandfather will accept this as the most viable option."What do you mean by that? Are you implying he should be removed from his position?" the witch interjects, ruining my opportunity."And who do you think would take his place if he were to step down? Certainly not you, that's for sur
After greeting grandma, the maid informs us that the food is ready. Alex's mother helps her into her wheelchair, and we all make our way to the dining table. I just can't shake off the feeling that grandma doesn't like me, and I can't understand why. I know I'm not Alex's real wife, but that shouldn't warrant such cold treatment I'm receiving from her. She doesn't even acknowledge my greetings and just keeps talking to Alex's mother…. oh, I forgot, she said I should call her mom, who keeps replying to her with a fake smile. Now I know where Alex got his bad attitude and temper.At the dining table, as everyone takes their seats, I finally count the total number of Alex's family members. Including the kids and in-laws, there are twenty-four of them, plus me, making a total of twenty-five. I sit beside Alex and notice Vivian sitting far away from me. I smile at her, but she avoids making eye contact. Is she upset because I left her alone? I thought she's fine.Different dishes are served
ALEX'S POVI watch Ariel falling down the stairs, and after she lands, I quickly rush to her. Concern is written all over my face, as I'm really scared of losing her right now. Well, I need to fake my emotions and pretend to be crying, but I already know she wouldn't die from the fall, just a small injury. I carry her up and quickly rush her to the hospital while everyone asks me what happened, but I have no time to explain anything to them; I need to save my wife.After taking her to the hospital, the doctor begins the treatment while we all wait outside.“Alex, what exactly happened?” Mom asks me, and I gently raise my head up and give a death stare at Vivian.“She did it,” I say, still fixing my gaze on her. “I saw the two of them arguing about something, so I was about to interfere when she pushed her off the stairs. I tried to save her, but I wasn't able to; she’s already rolling down the stairs before I reached her.” I say as all family turns to Vivian, who is already trembling i
ARIEL'S POV I pace around the room as I find it hard to believe I've ruined someone else's life. She doesn’t deserve this. What am I going to do now? I bury my head in between my knees, feeling lost and unsure of how to save Vivian without revealing the truth that I’m not actually pregnant. My mind is completely blank, and I can't think of anything. Then I suddenly think about my crazy friends; why didn't I think of that sooner?I quickly slip on my slippers and limp outside. I wanted to make use of the wheelchair, but since my leg is not that bad, I decide not to. However, as I open the door, I’m stopped by a giant man with a bald head.Fuck…."Ma'am, we've been instructed not to allow you to leave," he says.I'm shocked and can't believe Alex has placed a guard outside my room to prevent me from leaving. But I think he really underestimates me.“Ouch…Arrrghhh,” I grimace in pain."Is there a problem, ma'am?” the man inquires."I think I'm experiencing severe stomach pain. It's defin